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HISTORY OF EA8THAMPT0N: 



ITS SKTTLEMKN'r AND GROWTH 



ITS MATERIAL. EDIJCATIONAL. AND RELIGIOUS INTERESTS, 



TOGETHEU WITH A 



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By P^YSOlSr -VsT', LYDVC^N. 



NORTHAMPTON: 
TRUMBUL_I_ &. GER 
1860. 

I' 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by 

PAYSON W. LYMAN, 

in the Clerk's office, of the District Court of the District of 

Massachusetts. 



,f~7. 



PREFATORY NOTE. 



To write the history of one's native town would be a work of 
peculiar interest to any loyal son. And yet it is a work requiring 
more research than the limited field would lead one at first thought 
to suppose. The examination of early town records and manuscripts, 
and the collection of material which has never been written or 
recorded, upon various subjects, and from more various sources, has 
been attended with no little difficulty. 

It was to our advantage to have entered, in some degree, into the 
labors of earlier historians ; but their work, though ably performed, 
did not cover a field so comprehensive as our own. In regard to the 
settlement and early history of Town and Church, we are glad to 
acknowledge our large indebtedness to the Semi-Centennial Sermon 
of Rev, Payson Williston, and to the Historical Sketch of the town, 
prepared by Rev. Luther Wright, as well as to the researches of the 
late Sylvester Judd, Esq. The papers of the late Ezekiel White, to 
which the author was kindly allowed access, were of essential service 
to him in the preparation of the Genealogical Register, while, con- 
cerning dates and events which have occurred during the last half 
century, no source of information has been so prolific as the memory 
of his father, Daniel F. Lyman. 

While we thus acknowledge our indebtedness to these, we desire 
to tender our sincex-est thanks to the many others, who, in one way or 
another, have rendered us aid. 

Where our plan has led us to speak of individuals, particularly in 
the Genealogical Register, our estimate of character, in cases of men 
to whom our memory does not extend, has been based upon the 
judgment of others. Because we have in some instances spoken in 
commendatory terms of certain persons, it should not therefore be in- 
ferred that they were the only good and worthy men, or indeed perhaps, 



11 PEEFATORY NOTE. 

the best. We have judged it advisable, even at the risk of some 
charge of unfairness, to relieve the tedium of a bare recital of the 
facts ordinarily detailed in a genealogical record, by the narration of 
incidents, bits of personal history, and the occasional mention of 
prominent characteristics. 

We desire to bespeak for this sketch, freedom from harsh criticism 
and hasty judgment. We do not claim for it infallibility, but enter- 
tain the hope that it will be found essentially correct. 

Such as it is, we send it forth in the hope that it may contribute 
its share to the maintenance of a firm attachment to the institutions 
of our fathers, from an appreciation of their worth, and to the per- 
petuation of the names of "those who founded and those who have 
thus far built up the town, as well as of those who have upheld its 
honor, and that of the nation, on the varied fields of conflict and toil 
to which the providence of God has called them. 

P. W. L. 

Easthampton, October, 1866. 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER I. PAGE. 

Introduction. — Settlement. — Indian Difficulties.— Incorporation. 5 



CHAPTER II. 
Churches.— Organization of First Church. — Its Pastors. — Payson 
Church.— Methodist Church 25 



CHAPTER III. 
Public Schools.— Williston Seminary 41 



CHAPTER IV. 
Early Civil and Military History.— Shay's Rebellion.— War of 
1812 49 



CHAPTER V. 
Manufactures 54 



CHAPTER VI. 
Agriculture. — Mercantile Interest. — Mills. — Trades 66 



CHAPTER VII. 
Physicians. — Casualties. — Cemeteries 76 



IV. CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Library Associations. — Public Houses. — Post Office. — Population. 
Internal Revenue. — Town Officers. — Representatives. — Justi- 
ces. — Quarter Century Retrospect. — Miscellanies. — Deed of 
School Meadow 



CHAPTER IX. 
The Civil War.— Service of Our Soldiers.— Record of Our Dead. 109 



CHAPTER X. 
Genealogical Register of the Families of Clark, Clapp, Lyman, 
"Wright, Janes, Williston, Knight, Parsons, Ferry, White, 
Chapman, Pomeroy, Hannum, Phelps, Ludden, Wood, 
Hendrick 141 



HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON, 



CHAPTER I. 



SETTLEMENT.-EARLY HISTORY. 

This thriving town is beautifully situated. It is ,such 
a spot as a lover of nature might select for a residence. 
Its streams, flowing down from the mountains which 
encircle it, bearing fertility on their bosoms, the mountains 
themselves standing like watch-towers guarding it, its 
variation of hill and dale and plain, its beautiful trees 
and streets, all combine to render it a delightful retreat 
from the cares and turmoils of city life. Its steeples, 
educational institutions, factories, and well-cultivated farms, 
tell that it is inhabited by an intelligent, enterprising, and 
industrious people, and that here education and religion 
have not been forgotten. 

The town was settled by a race of sober, industrious 
men, who instilled into the minds of their children the 
great truths of the Bible, who frowned upon vice wherever 
seen, who sought not popularity and ease, who endeavored 
to walk in the path of duty, and as a consequence, vice 
and crime have never flourished within its limits. The 
sterner virtues here found a strong foothold. Cradled in 
the lap of agriculture, inured to toil, privation and danger, 
they and their children grew up a hardy, healthy people. 



6 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

That they loved the Bible and the sanctuary, and that 
they reverenced the Sabbath, is seen in the sacrifices they 
willingly made to attend the stated preaching of the Word. 
Before any church was built here, they went to Northamp- 
ton or Southampton every Sabbath, unless something ex- 
traordinary prevented. They did not, as is becoming 
somewhat fashionable, go to meeting in the forenoon and 
stay at home in the afternoon. Neither were they wearied 
with a sermon of an hour's length. That they did not 
consult ease, we may conclude from the fact that all, old 
and young, male and female, could rise and stand while 
God's blessing was being invoked. If any one sat during 
the prayer, it was justly concluded that they were sick or 
infirm. If, on a particular Sabbath, any one was noticed 
to sit, it was not strange if the person were the subject of 
anxious solicitude during the week. A law once existed 
subjecting persons to a fine for absenting themselves from 
public worship for three months. In one or two instances 
in town this law was enforced. 

Their Sabbath commenced at sunset, or dusk, Saturday 
night. Before this, in many instances, the father had 
finished his work and shaved himself, the mother had 
prepared the food for the next day as far as possible, all 
work had ceased, and to quote the language of another, 
" Both parents, with their children, and the book of God 
open before them, were often waiting ere the setting of 
the sun, to cross together the sacred threshold of the 
Sabbath." Would that their children of the present day 
had more regard for the sacred day. They were patriotic 
also. In no town were the inhabitants more universally 
loyal. Venerable men ! It was yours to lay the foun- 
dations of society broad and deep, to stamp upon it a 
respect and love for the institutions of religion, to plant 
high its standard of morals ; and nobly have you fulfilled 



EARLY HISTORY. 7 

your mission. Your record is on high ; and not only there, 
but it is seen in the character and reputation your children 
have held. The influence which you have exerted and do 
exert through your sons, who are scattered all the way 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the great lakes to 
the Gulf of Mexico, will forever endure. It is deathless 
as the sun ; aye, when that luminary himself has faded, it 
will live on and on. 

SETTLEMENT. 

Easthampton was originally a part of a tract of land 
called Nonotuck, signifying *' in the midst of the river," 
embracing the four Hamptons and a part of Montgomery 
and Hatfield. It was purchased of the Indians in 1653, 
for one hundred fathoms of Wampum, ten coats, plowing 
sixteen acres of land in Hadleigh, and some small gifts. 
It was a sum small in itself and intrinsically of no great 
value, but, as they reserved the right of hunting and 
fishing on them, and as the articles were of great 
exchangeable value among the Indians, they received 
ample remuneration for the land. It was conveyed to the 
settlers by a deed of Chick wallop and six others. It 
appears that after the purchase. Sachem Umpanchela 
complained that he had not received his portion of the 
purchase price. The planters immediately satisfied him. 
They represented in their petition to the General Court 
for liberty to settle here, that it was a place suitable to 
erect a town for the public weal and for the propagation of 
the Gospel. 

Without doubt, John Webb was the first inhabitant of 
Easthampton. The time and place of his settlement is 
not quite certain. Previous histories concur in giving him 
a residence in Nashawannuck, with no definite date. In 
the town records of Northampton, under date of Dec. 13, 



8 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

1664, we find that the town granted John Webb a piece of 
land at Pascommuck, to build a house upon. In February 
of the same year we find the following : — " I, John Webb, 
Sen., of Pascommuck, doe engage, &c." He was a citizen 
of Northampton as early as 1657, for in July of that year 
we find a deed of land sold to Northampton by Sachem 
Umpanchela and Lampanoho. They received the pay of 
" John Webb of Northampton." Whether or not he then 
resided within the present limits of Easthampton is un- 
certain. In 1663 or '4 it was recorded by the town clerk 
that John Webb brought several wolves' heads, probably 
to receive the bounty offered by the town or colony. He 
died in 1670. Families by the name of Webb continued 
to reside in Nashawannuck for more than 75 years. After 
the death of Mr. Webb, Robert Banks married his 
widow, and families of this name resided here until after 
1760. 

The next portion of what is now Easthampton which 
was settled, was on the north side of the Manhan river, 
near the present center of the town. Probably the first 
building erected there was a saw-mill, situated near the 
house of Joel Bassett, on Sawmill Brook. In 1674, the 
town gave " David Wilton, Medad Pumry and Joseph 
Taylor liberty to erect a saw-mill on the brook, on the 
right hand of the cartway going over Manhan river." In 
1686-7, Northampton gave Samuel Bartlett liberty to set 
up a corn-mill " on the falls below the cartway on the 
river." The mill was doubtless built soon after, but how 
soon a house was erected and a settlement made is not 
certainly known, probably not, however, till some years 
after 1 705, owing to the French and Indian war. But this 
much is certain, that Joseph Bartlett, son of Samuel, made 
the first permanent settlement here. The mill and land 
about it was given him by his father in 1705. He kept 



EARLY HISTORY. 9 

the first public house in town and had charge of it fo^ 
more than twenty years. 

He died in 1755, leaving most of his property to his 
relatives, the Clapps, one of whom, Jonathan, afterwards 
Major, who will be spoken of in the history of the Clapp 
family, resided with him for some years. He gave some 
land, however, to three of his brothers, on condition that 
they should give £100 old tenor, equal in value to =£13 
6s. 8d. lawful money, to the first church of Christ that 
should be erected and celebrate divine ordinances within 
half a mile of his house. This payment was afterwards 
made with the proceeds of land disposed of at Pogue's 
Hole. This bequest shows the interest he felt in the 
institutions of the Gospel, and the hope, very likely the 
expectation, he cherished, that at some time a church 
would be organized here. 

About the year 1726 or 8, four brothers by the name of 
Wait, planted themselves near the residence of John Scott. 
One of them died in 1732, another in 1745, and the other 
two, after many years, moved away. 

David Bartiett, brother of Landlord Joseph, built a 
house about forty rods west of where Julius Pomeroy 
now resides, not far from 1725. He lived and died on the 
place and left it to his son David, who also occupied it till 
his death, which occurred just before the American 
Revolution commenced. To this house, during the M^ar, 
persons afflicted with that terrible disease, the small pox, 
(rendered doubly terrible from the fact that nothing had 
then been discovered to deprive the disease of its virulence,) 
were taken. Among the number of its inmates was Col. 
Hosford, who was brought from Northampton. He diet' 
here and was buried in a field a little way from the house 
Rev. John Hooker, the successor of Rev. JonathaR 
Edwards, D. D., in the ministry at Northampton, also died 
1* 



10 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

at this place. He took the disease by simply passing the 
house in which Col. Hosford was confined before being 
removed. His remains were carried by night around 
through the meadows to the cemetery at Northampton, 
and there interred. This house was standing till within a 
few years. 

Northampton originally appropriated the meadows, 
supposed to contain one hundred acres, more or less, 
eighty acres above and twenty below the grist-mill, for 
the use of schools. For many years they leased it to 
difierent individuals, but in 1745 they sold all the upper 
meadow to Dea. Stephen Wright and Benjamin Lyman. 
Shortly after they removed here, Benjamin Lyman settled 
where the house of Joel Bassett stands, and Dea. Wright 
v;here Samuel Hurlburt resides. 

In 1755, an expedition was planned against Crown 
Point, and the command entrusted to Sir Wm. Johnson. 
His army arrived at the south end of Lake George before 
transportation had been provided. While waiting for 
batteaux to convey him to Crown Point, he received 
intelligence that a detachment of French Regulars, 
Canadians and Indians, under command of Baron Dieskau, 
was approaching Fort Edv/ard for the purpose of destroying 
some provision and military stores. Johnson at once 
called a council of war, at which it was determined to 
dispatch Col. E: Williams to intercept the French on 
their return from the fort. Diskeau, however, changed 
his course, with the intention of attacking Johnson's camp. 
Col. Williams was not aware of the change, and he 
marched on to his doom, apprehensive of no danger. The- 
enemy had been apprised of his approach and lay in- 
ambush for him. The firing commenced prematiirely, hub 
was very destructive. The surprise was complete. The 
bi-ave- commander, in endeavoring to cond.uct his troops to. 



EARLT HISTORY. 11' 

a more advantageous position, received a ball in his head, 
which instantly killed him. The firing continued with 
unabated fury, and they were obliged to retreat to the 
camp, whither they were closely followed by the enemy, 
who were received by Johnson with a murderous discharge 
of cannon and musketry, which did so much execution 
among them that they retired in great disorder, leaving on 
the field Baron Dieskau, who had received a mortal wound 
in his thigh. He fell into the hands of the Americans, 
and said, before his death, that, in all his military life, 
nothing had ever sent death into his army like the 
prolonged cheers which the Americans gave at their 
approach. Each of these neighbors, last referred to, had 
a son in this battle, which took place Sept. 8, 1775, and in- 
which Col. Ephraim Williams, the generous founder of 
Williams College, and more than two hundred others 
were slain, among whom was Sergeant Eliakim Wright, 
son of Stephen, aged 28. Lemuel Lyman, son of 
Benjamin, then twenty years of age, was in company with 
Sergeant Wright, one of the scouting party who was sent 
out to reconnoitre. They met the enemy advancing in the 
form of a crescent, but did not discover them until they 
were partially inclosed, whereupon a warm fire opened. 
Mr. Lyman was in the act of firing at an Indian, when a 
ball struck him. It passed across three of his fingers and 
struck his breast, passing through a leather vest, three 
thicknesses of his shirt, and his bullet pouch, which was 
providentially in that place, and half buried itself in his 
body. The pouch is still preserved in one of the numerous 
families of his descendants. There were four other 
soldiers^ standing near him, three of whom were killed' 
there, and the other one after he reached the camp. 
Shortly after he obtained a furlough and returned' home, 
laden w.ithi news both joyful and sad. The French had' 



12 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

been successfully resisted, and repulsed witli great loss, 
but our own army had not escaped unhurt ; about forty-six 
persons belonging to the Hampshire regiment had fallen ; 
a neighbor and friend had been stricken down, and it was 
his task to break the sad intelligence to the bereaved 
family. The sorrow was mitigated by the pleasing 
consciousness that he was prepared to obey the summons, 
yet it was a severe blow, and one which fell where least 
expected. From the families of those neighbors, the 
oldest and most experienced was taken, the youngest 
spared. When the two were about to depart, Mr. Lyman 
said to Mr. Wright, " If my son was only as old as yours, 
I should not feel so much anxiety." After the battle, Mr. 
Wright reminded him of the conversation, and said, " Now 
my son is killed, while yours is only wounded." 

Soon after, he, with several others, collected a small 
drove of cattle and started with them for the northern 
army. Being insufficiently supplied with provisions, they 
suffered exceedingly from hunger on their journey. On 
one occasion they obtained and cooked a small quantity of 
meat which was somewhat tainted, but it was their 
mutual testimony that they never tasted that which was 
sweeter. 

Benjamin Lyman, above mentioned, was the ancestor of 
all the persons of that name residing in the town. He 
had four sons and three daughters. Dea. Stephen Wright 
was the ancestor of all the families in town of that name. 
He had four sons. The descendants of these two families, 
many of whom still reside in Easthampton, are widely 
soatftred. Probably they can be found in more than half 
of the states and territories in the Union. At least 
nineteen of them have been college graduates. 

Not far from the close of the Revolutionary War, 
Joseph and Titus Wright moved to the south of Rocky 



EARLY HISTORY. 13 

Hill and lived many years near the house now owned and 
occupied by Dwight Lyman, but they finally left town. 

The third settlement in town was commenced in the 
year 1700, at Pascommuck, by five families, on land now 
owned by L. W. Parsons, Joseph Parsons and Gilbert A. 
Clark. Their names were Moses Hutchinson, who settled 
farthest west, John Searl, Benoni Jones, Samuel Janes 
and Benjamin Janes. In 1704, this village was destroyed 
by the Indians under circumstances of the most shocking 
barbarity. A more full account of this massacre will be 
given in another place. It was not re-settled until about 
1715. The new settlers of Pascommuck, after the 
slaughter, were Nathaniel Alexander, who married the 
widow of John Searl, (he having been slain by the Indians,) 
and lived several years on his farm. Samuel Janes, Jr. 
took the place of his father. In 1720, John Lankton 
purchased the lot originally owned by Benoni Jones. He 
lived, however, only nine years to enjoy it. His widov/ 
married a man by the name of Wharton, but for some 
cause he soon left her, and she was for many years known 
as Widow Wharton. Her son, John Lankton, afterwards 
removed to West Springfield. His father owned a slave 
while he lived in Pascommuck, which was valued at £60 
in his inventory. It appears that Joseph Bartlett was also 
a slaveholder, from the fact that he set two slaves free by 
his will. There is also a slave mentioned in the list of 
Major Clapp's estate, but whether it was one that he 
purchased, or one of those set free by his Uncle Bartlett, 
(which is not an unlikely supposition,) is not certain. 
These were doubtless the only cases of slave ownership in 
town. The place of John Searl was occupied by his son 
Elisha, after his ^i-eturn from Canada, whither he had been 
carried by the Indians at the sacking of the village in 
1702. Ebenezer Ferry, from Springfield, at a later period, 



14 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

purchased the Hutchinson place and lived on it twenty-five 
years or more. He died in 1752. 

The first settlers in that part of Easthampton which 
was then Southampton, >vith the exception of Deacon 
Stephen Wright, were Samuel and Eldad Pomeroy and 
their sons, who established themselves near where Dea. E. 
W. Hannum now resides, it is presumed about 1732. Caleb 
Pomeroy, son of Samuel, soon after built a house near 
where A. L. Strong now lives. He died in 1812, leaving 
two sons, Enos and Solomon. Probably about 1760, 
John and Eleazar Hannum located themselves on the 
places which their descendants now occupy. Joel Hannum, 
a brother of John and Eleazar, lived in Nashawannuck. 
He had one son, Paul, who lived for a while on the old 
place. He afterwards removed to Bainbridge, Ohio, 
where he lived many years. He died Dec. 28, 1861, 
aged 76. 

The first settler on the plain was Sergeant Ebenezer 
Corse. It is not certain at what time he came there, 
probably about 1732. He built the house where Spencer 
Clapp formerly lived, now owned by James Nichols. It 
is to him that the town is indebted for one of its handsomest 
streets, (Main Street,) running from the center of the 
town straight to his house, a distance of more than a mile, 
he having cleared away the woods for a road. He was a 
bold, fearless man. It is said of him that he refused to 
remove to the fort, where the other settlers fled on account 
of the Indians. But he finally found traces of an ambush 
which had been laid for him, which convinced him that 
discretion was the better part of valor, and he accordingly 
repaired thither for the time being. He died May 4, 1776, 
two months before the Declaration of Independence, in 
the 85th year of his age. His wife died eight years before 
him, in her 73d year. Both were buried in the old 
cemetery. 



EARLY HISTOPY. 15 

He was followed soon after by other settlers, one of 
whom was Stephen Wright, son of Dea. Stephen, one of 
the purchasers of School Meadow. He built the house 
until recently occupied by his grandson, John Wright. 
Other settlers in this neighborhood were Aaron Clapp 
Benjamin Clapp and Benjamin Lyman, a son of the other 
purchaser of the meadow. 

That part of the west district known as Park Hill, 
derives its name, it is said, from an inclosure that was 
built upon it for the purpose of aiding in the capture of 
deer. As early as 1750, Mr. Josiah Phelps built a house on 
the site of the recent residence of J. R. Wright. He had 
no children, and at his death it passed into the hands of 
Jonathan Bartlett, a son-in-law of his wife. Mr. Phelps 
was a' very good and pious, though somewhat eccentric 
man. It is said that on one occasion, in speaking of a 
piece of new land which he had broken up, he said that 
while he was doing it, his mind was so absorbed with 
thoughts of himself, his relations to God, and his hopes of 
Heaven, that he paid no attention to his team. 

The first settlement in the southeast part of the town 
was made by Israel Hendrick, who removed from 
Connecticut about the year 1774, and built a log house on 
the east side of Broad Brook, about opposite from where 
Pearson Hendrick now lives. A few years after he 
removed a little farther up the brook and built a small 
framed house. The other early settlers of this district 
were Joel Robbins, Benjamin Stephens, and Benjamin 
Strong, who was in the sixth generation from Richard 
Strong of Taunton, Somersetshire, England. His son. 
Elder John Strong, came from England to Dorchester in 
the same company with Capt. Roger Clapp, from whence 
he removed to Windsor, Ct., in 1635, and from there to 
Northampton in 1659, where he died April, 1699, aged 94. 



16 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

IN-DIAIS- TROUBLES. 

On the 24tli of May, 1704, the village of Pascommuck 
was destroyed by the Indians. It had then been settled 
only four or five years. A party of Indians, it seems had 
been to Merrimac river, for some reason, but not 
accomplishing their purpose, they directed their course 
towards Westfield. Westfield river was however so much 
swollen by the rains, that they could not pass it. Some of 
this party knew the situation of Pascommuck, and as they 
had been unable for some time to obtain food, they 
determined as a last resort, as they afterwards declared, to 
make a descent upon the village to satisfy their hunger, 
and as we are compelled to believe by their conduct, to 
satisfy also their natural ferocity. Accordingly on the 
evening previous to the attack, they came along on the 
mountain, in ord«i' to examine its situation and fix a plan 
of attack. It was for them a favorable circumstance that 
the meadows intervening between the fated settlement and 
Northampton were overflowed, and all direct land com- 
munication with it cut off. On the morning of May 
24th, just before daybreak, they descended and commenced 
an attack, as unexpected on the part of the inhabitants as 
it was furious and terrible on theirs. 

It appears that a defense was attempted at the house of 
Benoni Jones, which was encompassed with pickets, but 
the surprise was so complete that the savages, aided by 
fire, were soon enabled to overpower and destroy, or 
capture nearly all of them. Nineteen or twenty were 
slain. Nine persons by the name of Janes were killed : — 
Samuel, his wife and three children, and four children of 
Benjamin Janes. The wife of the latter was taken by the 
savages to the top of Pomeroy mountain, and there 
knocked on the head and scalped, and probably left for dead. 
By a good Providence she was not killed, but was found in 



EARLY HISTORY. 17 

tliis situation, and carried on a litter to Northampton. 
Her husband, after the capture, had fallen a little in rear 
of the party, and while they were passing a little ravine, 
surrounded by bushes and leading to the water, near the 
present residence of Bryant Pendleton, he succeeded in 
eluding the vigilance of his savage captors. Running 
through this he reached the water, and springing into a 
skiff, which he probably knew to be fastened there, he 
made his escape to Northampton, where he was the first 
to announce the mournful tidings. 

A troop of cavalry, headed by Capt. John Taylor, 
immediately started to intercept, if possible, the relentless 
savages. He came through Pomeroy's meadow, near the 
present road leading from East to Westhampton, and 
passed on south to the so-called Westfield road, and 
between this and Mt. Tom, on land now owned by Chester 
and the heirs of C. Edson Wait, he encountered the 
Indians. They having by some means obtained knowledge 
of his approach, destroyed the lives of all the boys whom 
they had captured, except Elisha, son of John Searl. He, 
seeing the work of destruction going on, caught a pack 
and ran on, thereby showing that if they would spare him 
he would be no hindrance but rather a help to them. 
Capt. Taylor, being considerably in advance of his troops, 
was exposed to the first fire of the enemy, who were 
probably concealed, and fell. It is not known whether 
any others were killed, but it is certain that the Indians 
escaped, 

Benjamin Janes removed to Coventry, Ct., where he was 
made deacon of the church. The wife of John Searl 
survived a severe blow on the head from a tomahawk. 
One of her descendants has in her possession a silver hair 
pin worn on the head of Mrs. Searl at the time the blow 
was inflicted. Her son Elisha, who was not murdered, 
2 



18 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

was taken to Canada, where he was brought up in the 
Catholic faith, and his mind became thoroughly imbued 
with its superstitions. On one occasion, with a party of 
Indians, he made arrangements to enter on a hunting and 
trapping expedition along the great western lakes, for the 
purpose of obtaining fur. As no priest was to accompany 
them, he went to one and inquired, with evident concern, 
what he should do, since there was no priest to whom he 
could confess, and he might die on his journey. The priest 
told him it would be just as well to confess to a tree, and 
then sent him away. This declaration struck him very 
forcibly. He revolved the idea in his mind, and the result 
was that he became convinced that the whole system of 
Romanism was one of deception, and on his return he 
refused to confess his sins to a priest. After many years 
he visited his native place, but so accustomed had he 
become to Canadian, or Indian life, that it was with the 
greatest difficulty that his friends prevailed on him to stay. 
It is said that during his long absence he had so far 
forgotten the English language, that he was unable to 
make himself known to his friends, and that he succeeded 
in doing so only when he had found in the house and 
walked upon a pair of stilts, which he had used when a 
boy. Here he married, reared up a family, was a worthy 
citizen, and held a respectable standing in the church. 
As an instance of the power of early associations upon the 
mind, it may be mentioned that on one occasion, as he 
was by the bedside of a dying woman, under the influence, 
•for the moment, of his early delusion, he requested her to 
remember him in her prayers in Heaven, but instantly 
recollecting himself, he expressed sorrow that he should 
ever have made such a request. 

No. other lives were known to have been taken by the 
Indians^ tilll 724, when Nathaniel Edwards, 2d, was shot 



EARLY HISTORY. 19 

at tlie brook a few rods south of the residence of Samuel 
Phelps. It was supposod that he, in company with other 
men from Northampton, had come out to gather their 
crops from the Manhan meadows, which were leased for a 
long time previous to their purchase. Several of them 
cam» out together for the sake of mutual protection, but 
he, it is said, was detained at the cartway or fording place 
on the river, in consequence of which he fell behind the 
others, was waylaid at the above mentioned place, and was 
shot and scalped, by a body of Indians. The tradition is 
that there was a negro on the load at the time. His 
attention being attracted by the firing and shouting, he 
raised his head and looked cautiously over, when, to his 
horror and dismay, he beheld the swarthy savages scalping 
his master. He however remained quiet till the team had 
reached the top of the hill, when he slipped from the load, 
removed one horse from the team, mounted, and made off 
with all possible speed towards Northampton. Before 
reaching it, he overtook the other teamsters, and informed 
them of His master's fate. It is not known whether the 
murderers were pursued, but it is certain that they escaped 
unpunished. 

It is probable that these were the only persons killed by 
the Indians within what now constitutes Easthampton, but 
for more than twenty years from this time, — particularly 
however, in 1745, 6 and 7, — a general fear of the tenants 
of the forest pervaded the community ; so much so, that 
about 1745 several houses were fortified, as places of 
refuge in case of an attack, and mounts were erected as 
watch-houses. The houses of Joseph Bartlett at the 
Mills, Samuel Janes at Pascommuck, and Major Clapp, 
near where Ansel Bartlett now resides, were thus guarded. 

Those were times of peculiar danger^ and it is well that 
we^ their children, should remember at what price of blood, 



20 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

treasure, and comfort, our homes and our liberties, botb 
civil and religious, were obtained, in order that wo may 
the more sacredly guard them ; that we may be the more 
anxious to transmit them, unimpaired, to those that shall 
come after us. 

As we have seen, these grounds which we now* call our 
mvn, were once the home of the red man. Here they 
roamed in savage freedom, built their wigwams, sang their 
war songs, and celebrated the exploits of their sires. 
They enjoyed peculiar facilities for fishing, for the falls on 
Manhan river, by the grist-mill, afforded facilities which 
all did not enjoy. There is abundant testimony that shad 
and salmon in large quantities were taken there. These 
plains were the resort of large numbers of deer, which 
afforded them means of subsistence, as well as suited their 
natural tastes and desires. The last place in town which 
they occupied, was in the limits of Pascommuck, where 
they had a village and a fort, probably on what is now 
known as Fort Plain, in the rear of the East District 
school-house. 

In 1664, a number of them petitioned the town of 
Northampton for liberty to erect a fort. The town granted 
the petition on seven conditions, the first being that they 
should not violate the Sabbath, by carrying burdens, or in 
any other manner. The other restrictions were concerning 
harboring other Indians, &c. Their motives were proba- 
bly good in desiring the place. They had no evil designs 
against the dominant race. They continued to reside 
here, till the opening of King Phillip's war, in 1675, when 
they joined the hostile forces, and quitted forever the 
land of their nativity — the home of their fathers. 

Perhaps we can imagine, better than describe, their 
feelings, when they surveyed, for the last time, the hills, 
valleys and rivers, — the theaters of their brave exploits, 
immortalized in sons:. 



EARLY HISTORY. 21 

There is much to admire, as well as much to deprecate, 
in their character. That they had vices none can question. 
That they had virtues, is equally true. But they are gone ; 
not an individual left. The race which once roamed these 
hillsides, hunted deer in these grand old forests, and fished 
in these streams, are remembered only in history. They 
passed away, so far as we know, unblessed by the gospel 
which alone maketh wise unto salvation. 

There is not now much to remind us of that once 
interesting though fearful people ; but what there is should 
be preserved and perpetuated. 

Two portions of the town still retain the old Indian 
names to some extent. I refer to Pascommuck and 
Nashawannuck. Surely these are names of which no son 
or daughter of these places, or of Eastharapton, need be 
ashamed. The latter of these names, it hardly need be 
said, has been adopted by one manufacturing company in 
town. It is well. Let these names forever remain, sad 
mementoes of the departed, almost forgotten, race. Let 
them descend to the latest generation. 

We have how reviewed, somewhat at length, the settle- 
ment of the different portions of the town. We have 
seen that some of the settlers had to encounter perils from 
the wild, merciless savage, whom they had reason to fear 
by day and night ; or, if the red man did not disturb their 
homes, there were forests to be felled before farming lands 
could be obtained, houses to be constructed, roads to be 
built, and all this with utensils which appear rude indeed 
when compared with those of modern times. But all 
these hardships were, no doubt, intended by an All-wise 
Providence for the development of that sterling type of 
character, which has so long been the glory and boast of 
our loved New England. 



2* 



22 HISTOKY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

INCORPORATION. 

The first attempt, on the part of the inhabitants of 
Easthampton, to become a town or district, was in March, 
1773. At that time, what is now Easthampton, belonged 
to Northampton and Scuthampton. It was divided as 
follows : — " All east of a line beginning near the bridge 
over the Manhan river, and running southwardly on the 
Westfield road, so-called, to land owned by the late 
Gamaliel Pomeroy, in Southampton ; and all northwardly 
of a line commencing near the mouth of Sawmill Brook, 
and extending westwardly in the rear of the houses now 
owned by Samuel Plurlburt and Samuel Wright, to the 
road just beyond S. Wright's house, along said road 
westwardly through the house now owned by Dea. E. W. 
Hannum, towards Pomeroy mountain. All east and north 
of these lines belonged to Northampton ; the rest of course 
to Southampton." The motives which actuated our 
fathers in pressing a separation, were that they might be 
in such circumstances, that, with little difficulty,, they 
could meet and transact business among themselves ; but 
more especially, that, with greater convenience, and hope- 
fully with greater profit to themselves and their families, 
they might attend on public worship and ordinances of 
God's sanctuary. Laudable and praiseworthy motives, 
truly! In accordance v/ith these views, in 1773 they 
requested the inhabitants of Northampton and Southampton 
to consider the subject and report. 

The former chose a committee, who reported in favor of 
the petition, and proposed the lines for the new town, and 
advocated the raising of £300, to aid them in erecting a 
meeting-house and settling a minister. The town accepted 
the report of the committee, and subsequently directed 
their representative to use his influence in the General 



EARLY HISTORY. 23. 

Court in favor of the petition; but the project met with 
strong opposition from Southampton, and the revolutionary 
war came on, so that it was delayed for some years. In 
1781-2 the subject was again agitated. Northampton 
again voted to set off the new town. Estimating those who 
would be set off, at one-eighth of the inhabitants of the 
town, they proposed to give them one-eighth of all the 
public property of the town, and something more ; but 
the district was not incorporated, owing, it is presumed, to 
the opposition of Southampton, till 1785. 

In the summer of that year, the act incorporating 
Easthampton as a district, passed the legislature, and 
Robert Breck, Esq., was empowered to issue his war- 
rant, directed to one of the principal inhabitants, direct- 
ing him to warn the citizens to assemble for the choice 
of officers. His warrant was directed to Benjamin Lyman. 
The first district meeting was held at the house of Capt. 
Joseph Clapp. 

The question may arise in some minds, " Why was it 
not incorporated as a town ?" In answer to this, Dr. 
Holland says : — " Before 1753, the governor of Massachu- 
setts received instructions from the home government, 
which, in a strong light, exhibited the growing jealousy of 
the crown, of the popular element in the government of 
the colony. The increase in the number of towns in the 
colony, increasing in the same ratio the representation in 
the legislature, was seen to present formidable encroach- 
ments upon the authority of the parent power. To put a 
stop to this, the governor was instructed to consent to no 
act for establishing a new town, with the right of repre- 
sentation, for many years ; as a substitute, districts were 
incorporated, with the full privileges of towns, except 
representation." 

This, of course, was previous to the revolutionary war. 



24 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

but after the nation had become independent, it seems 
that the practice was continued for a limited time. 

The number of families set off from Northampton, was 
probably less than 60, and the number of persons not far 
from 300. These, with those set off from Southampton, 
made the population of the district a few more than 400 
souls. 

The lines of separation between this and the other 
towns, were somewhat irregular. It was to some extent a 
matter of choice with many of the borderers, whether they 
would belong to Easthampton, or not. Several families, 
who ought to have belonged, and who, otherwise, would 
have belonged to Easthampton, were, by order of the 
legislature, allowed to remain citizens of North or South- 
ampton. This gave rise to great irregularity in the town 
lines, which may be seen at a glance on any county map. 



CHAPTEK II. 



CHURCHES. 

In 1781-2, so strong was belief of the people tliat they 
should soon become a district and corporate society, that 
they made preparations to erect a suitable place of public 
worship. At length, in the spring of 1785, a frame, " of 
suitable size, and good materials," was erected, on the 
responsibility, as it appears, of individuals. On the 13th 
of July, at the first business meeting of the district, they 
voted to provide a place for public worship, and also to 
make use of the frame already erected, which stood on 
the land now enclosed for a park, near the present location 
of the First Church. They also voted to remunerate those 
who had erected the frame, in the summer of that same 
year. It was clap-boarded, shingled, and the lower floor 
laid, but was not entirely finished till 1792. The build- 
ing was 53 feet long, and 42 feet wide, with neither bell 
nor steeple, but was a well finished house. Of this 
building, Rev. Mr. Williston, in a semi-centennial sermon, 
preached August 18, 1839, from 2 Peter, 1,12: says : — 
" For a little more than fifty years was this house the place 
of our holy solemnities. Thither were the fathers and 
mothers in our Israel till successively removed by death, 
seen to be resorting almost as constantly as the Sabbath 
returned. And there, with many sustaining the relations 



26 HISTORY OF BASTHAMPTON. 

of children and grand-children to them, and I may add, 
with others also, it was their delight to meet, and together 
to pray and praise, and to think and talk of heaven." 

The first church was organized Nov. 17, 1785, at the 
house of Capt. Joseph Clapp. It consisted of seventy-two 
members, forty-six of whom had been dismissed from the 
church in Northampton, twenty-six from the church in 
Southampton. They made choice of Mr. Stephen Wright 
for Moderator, and Philip Clark for Clerk. In 1786, 
Benjamin Lyman, Stephen Wright and Philip Clark, 
were appointed to collect the donation of Joseph Bartlett, 
to the first church of Christ which should be organized 
and celebrate divine ordinances within half a mile of his 
house. It, together with the interest accruing thereon, 
amounted to £14 Is 3d, and was expended in the purchase 
of a communion service. In the same year, the district 
hired Rev. Aaron Walworth to preach. They afterwards 
gave a call to him to settle with them as their pastor, but 
he saw fit to decline the invitation. 

On the 6th of April, 1789, they gave Rev. Payson 
Williston a call to settle in the gospel ministry, and agreed 
to give him a settlement fund of <£180, and a salary of 
£65 the first year, to be increased twenty shillings a year, 
until it amounted to c£70, besides thirty-five cords of wood 
per year, " if he shall need so much for his own consump- 
tion." 

Mr. Williston accepted the call, and was ordained Aug. 
13, 1789. The services were conducted as follows: — 
Introductory prayer by Rev, Enoch Hale of Westhampton ; 
Sermon by Rev. Noah Williston ; Consecrating Prayer by 
Rev. Richard S. Storrs ; Concluding Prayer by Rev. Seth 
Payson. Previous to his ordination, the church observed 
a day of fasting and prayer, in accordance with a fitting 
custom of those days. 



CHURCHES. 27 

The first deacons of the church were Stephen Wright 
and Benjamin Lyman, chosen in 1786. 

At the commencement of his ministry in Easthampton, 
Mr. Williston was twenty-six years of age. About the 
time of his settlement, on one occasion, when the militia 
company, including all who were sixteen years of age, were 
assembled for exercise, it was proposed that they should 
signify whether the candidate was one of their choice. 
The result was entire unanimity in his favor. 

In the past history of Easthampton, no man has occupied 
a position so prominent and influential, for so long a time, 
as the first pastor of the church, and this fact may justify 
a notice of him somewhat more extended than would other- 
wise be given. Many of the facts and statements are 
derived from the sermon preached at his funeral by Rev. 
John Woodbridge, D. D., then pastor in Hadley. 

Rev. Payson Williston was born in West Haven, Ct., 
in 1763, and was the son of the Rev. Noah Williston of 
that place. His mother was of the family of Payson, who 
were connected with the well-known ministers of that 
name. His religious training was blessed by his early 
conversion. He decided to enter the ministry, and studied 
under the instruction of the excellent Dr. Trumbull of 
North Haven, Conn. He entered Yale College in 1778 or 
1779, and graduated in 1783. " He numbered among his 
classmates, men distinguished in professional and literary 
life, among whom were the Rev. Dr. Morse, the geogra- 
pher. Rev. Dr. Holmes, Hon. J. C. Smith, since governor 
of Conn., and the Hon. David Daggett, well known for his 
legal attainments, and as an able jurist." Before entering 
college he was engaged for several months in the service 
of his country, in the war of the Revolution, and knew 
by experience the dangers and difficulties which our 
fathers encountered,' in the struggle for freedom and 



28 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

independence ; and for several years before his death, he 
received a pension for the service performed in that 
struo-gle. He was licensed to preach at twenty-one, but 
did not choose to settle till he had gained some experience 
in the ministerial life. After preaching for several years 
in vacant parishes, he accepted the call of the church in this 
place, and became its first pastor. In 1790, he married 
Miss Sarah Birdseye, daughter of Rev. Nathan Birdseye, 
of Stratford, Ct. " With this amiable wife of his youth, ' 
whose sound sense, industry, and prudence rendered her a 
great blessing to her family, he lived happily for nearly 
fifty-five years. She passed away in the year 1845, at the 
age of 82." 

In 1805, Mr. Williston, without being dismissed from 
his charge, was employed as a missionary, in the frontier 
and sparsely populated settlements in Western New York, 
where is now the very center of abundance, agricultural 
cultivation, and advancement in the necessary and elegant 
arts of life. For forty-four years he fciith fully and cheer- 
fully performed the duties incumbent upon him, as an 
embassador of the Cross, and for more than sixty years, 
he was, as pastor, adviser, and neighbor, instrumental of 
great good to his people. His doctrinal views were much 
like those of our Puritan Fathers. He preached with 
plainness, but with variety, and fullness of illustration, 
and not unfrequently with much emotion. His example 
aff'orded the most beautiful enforcement and exemplification 
of his doctrine. His life was a preaching life, till it 
terminated in the silence of death. Modesty was one of 
his most prominent characteristics. He was never obtru- 
sive ; and as for boasting, one who knew him well said : 
" we should almost as soon have expected to see a violation 
of the laws of nature, as to hear a word of this kind from 
the lips of Mr. Williston." But having arrived at the 



CHURCHilS. SQ 

age of seventy, though still in the enjoyment of the fullest 
confidence and esteem of his people, he judged it expedi- 
ent to tvithdraw from the active duties of the ministry 
Accordingly, at a meeting of the town, March 11, 1833, 
in their corporate capacity, including the brethren of the 
church, he presented the following communication : 

*^Men and Brethren: — It has been my purpose for years, should 1 
attain to the period of life I have, and at the same time be sustaining 
the relation of pastor to you, to manifest a willingness to have a col- 
league settled with me — or, should you deem it preferable, to relinquish 
my ministry among you, when you shall have become united in some 
one to be my successor, and he shall be placed over you in the Lord— ^ 
or indeed earlier, if it should appear generally best that I should. 
Sooner much than I anticipated, have I entered upon my seventieth 
year ; and though, at present, I am freer from bodily pains and 
infirmities, than is ordinarily the case with persons of my standing, 
my age teacheth me that my working time must ere long be 
over, and that, while it continues, I may be losing my ability for 
performing the service you need — or, to be sure, all you may think,-— 
or, in fact may be desii-able. I should exceedingly regret being in 
the way of any one, upon whose ministrations you can hope to 
attend, with the rational prospect of greater advantage to your souls, 
than can be looked for, by a much longer attendance on mine. Your 
interests, especially your immortal, I trust, I have never regarded with 
indifference, or ever shall ; and though in my ministry, I see I have 
not had all that concern on my mind for your temporal and spiritual 
advantage and welfare, which has been my duty, and have not, as an 
humble instrument in the hands of the Lord, been active and engaged 
for the promotion of the one and the other, to the extent your circum- 
stances required, yet I do hope, that I have not altogether labored in 
vain, and that the results have been happy to no inconsiderable 
numbers, and will appear so in eternity. For the many years I have 
been attempting to instruct, and in this place, guide souls to heaven, 
my ministry has been attended with less to perplex, and more to 
tranquilize the mind, than usually has fallen to the lot of my fellow 
laborers. And here 1 am constrained to say, (and I do it with pleas- 
ure,) that, under God, I consider this is very much owing to the 
respect shown by those active in my settlement, — mostly now in their 
3 



so HISTOEY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

graves,— -and generally by their children, to the Sabbath and the 
institutions of religion, and, with reference to my usefulness and 
comfort, their frequently and promptly making me some consideration, 
when the support they had voted me was found to be inadequate. The 
support, however, I have received, has never been such as to render 
desirable anything farther being done. My means for living are 
probably considerably less than numbers of you are apprehensive ; 
and should my pastoral relation to you soon be dissolved, in any other 
way than by death, you will see, that at least, some consideration may 
be needful for me the little time that may still be allotted me to live ; 
and as I was settled for life, I have a pleasing confidence that it will 
be granted. How much, or how little, I do not take upon myself to 
gay. The subject is a delicate one, and I am willing to leave it to 
your love of justice and generosity to determine. I feel grateful to 
you, my friends, under Providence, that my fyouth, the meridian of 
my life, and my advanced years, have been made comfortable .as they 
have, that our connection, on the whole, has been a happy one. Loth 
should I be, and greatly distressed indeed, should anything take 
place to render it otherwise with us. I sincerely hope such will not 
be the effect of this communication, or of any measures to which it 
may naturally give rise. Unless I am greatly deceived, it is my 
earnest wish and prayer, that, as from the beginning the great Head 
of the Church has exercised over you a kind and unremitting care, sO 
He may continue to, and that in the choice of one to serve Him in 
the gospel, it may be your happiness to have His discretion and influ- 
ence to act judiciously, and in a manner, that shall promote your own, 
and the good of your children, and your children's children, and that 
of multitudes of others, till He shall come in power and great glory 
to judge the quick and the dead. All of which is respectfully 
submitted by your unworthy but affectionate pastor, 

Payson Williston." 

This request was granted, and he was reluctantly dis- 
missed from the active duties of the pastorate. During 
his ministry, he had met with a very encouraging degree 
of success in his noble work, and many souls had been 
given as seals of his ministry. But, though he no longer 
sustained the relation of pastor to his people, he was not 
idle. He loved them to the last, and was ever desirous of 



CHURCHES. fSl 

promoting their welfare, and many remember with pleasure 

the visits and kind and fatherly counsel of their aged pas- 
tor, who still loved to share with them their joys and 
sorrows. "His closet, the sanctuary, the meeting for 
social prayer, were his loved retreats, and next to these 
the house of his friends." For several years he was the 
last survivor of his class, and for some time he was the 
oldest graduate of Yale College. But at last his mission 
on earth was ended, and on the 30th of January, 1856, he 
was called by the Great Head of the Church to come up 
higher. Though spared to the age of ninety-two years 
and seven months, yet he, too, must die, and " as a shock 
of Gorji fully ripe " he was gathered to his rest, while many 
friends missed him, and greatly lamented his loss. 

His funeral sermon was preached by Rev. John Wood- 
bridge, D. D., from Prov. 13, 22: "A good man leaveth 
an inheritance to his children's children." He has passed 
away, but " he being dead yet speaketh," and the influence 
of his life and teachings will remain yet many years, and 
future generations shall hear, and honor, the name of Rev. 
Payson Williston. 

The next pastor of the church was Rev. Wm. Bement, 
a native of Ashfield, and a graduate of Dartmouth College. 
He was ordained on the 16th of October, 1833, by the 
same council that dismissed Mr. Williston. This ordina- 
tion was one of the last examples of an ordination con- 
ducted after the manner of the fathers. The council 
assembled on the previous day, and held a prolonged 
public examination of the candidate, connecting devotional 
exercises therewith. A music teacher was on hand to 
prepare the choir for a great occasion. An hour before the 
ordination services, strings of carriages might be seen 
coming in from neighboring towns. The council, having 
assembled at an appointed place, marched in solemn pro- 



32 • HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTOPT. 

cession to the meeting-house, where the waiting crowd, 
extending quite a distance from the front door, parted to 
the right and left and stood with uncovered heads until 
the reverend procession had passed through the broad 
aisle. After the conclusion of the public services, the 
council returned in like manner, to partake together of the 
dinner provided for them, and the houses of the whole 
parish were open for the entertainment of strangers. 

On this occasion, the sermon was preached by E-ev. 
Samuel Osgood, D. D. ; the Charge to the Pastor was 
given by Rev. Payson Williston, D. D. ;. the Right Hand 
of Fellowship by Pvev. Sumner G. Clapp ; the Address to 
the People by Rev. Joseph Penny ; and the Closing Prayer 
by Rev. H. P. Chapin. 

The pastorate of Mr., Bement extended over a period of 
nearly seventeen years, and was productive of great good 
to the church and people. He was a faithful pastor and 
preacher, never shunning to declare unto his flock the 
whole counsel of God. The fruits of his labors still remain. 
He was strongly attached to his people, a public parting 
from whom he could not endure. He therefore wrote a 
most affectionate farewell address, which was read from the 
pulpit, about a month after his dismissal. Many will re- 
member the occasion, and the deep and tender solicitude for 
them, which breathed from every sentence of the address. 
He left the people with the unanimous assurance, on their 
part, " that his departure was neither anticipated or desired 
by them, that they esteem him highly in love, hold his 
services in most grateful remembrance, and cordially ap- 
prove of the views which he entertained of the Christian 
ministry, and of the efforts which he has made to extend 
the kingdom of the Redeemer.'* 

During his ministry, an organization was formed, which 
took, the name of the Young Men's. Home Missionary 



CHURCHES. 33 

Society, which pledged itself to the support of Rev. Melzar 
Montague, a native of Westhampton, as a missionary in 
Wisconsin. Mr. Montague was ordained here, October 
29, 1844, on which occasion a sermon was preached by 
Rev. Edward W. Hooker, D. D. 

The third pastor in succession was Rev. Rollin S. Stone, 
a graduate of Yale College. He was installed as pastor of 
the church, Oct. 8, 1850, and dismissed at his own request, 
July 26, 1852. The sermon at his installation was preached 
by Rev. E. Y. Swift, now settled in Williamsburg. After 
his dismission, a call was extended to Rev. A. M. Coltou 
to become pastor of the church, which he accepted, and 
was installed March 2, 1853, Rev. John Woodbridge, 
D. D., delivering a discourse from I Cor. 1, 23-4, Mr. 
Colton is a native of Georgia, Vt,, a graduate of Yale 
College, and was formerly pastor of the Congregational 
Church in Amherst. He still labors with the people, by 
whom he is greatly respected and beloved. Two or three 
seasons of unusual religious interest have blessed the 
church during his pastorate, and many have been added to 
its numbers. 

The following list shows the persona who have been 
deacons of the church since its organization, together v/ith 
the time of their appointment, and the length of time which 
they held the office :■=— 

Stephen Wright, chosen 1786, served 21 years, 

Benjamin Lyman, ' 

Obadiah Janes, ' 

Joel Parsons, ' 

Solomon Lyman, ' 

Thaddeus Clapp, 
Sylvester Lyman, 
Julius Hannum, 
Ithamar Clark, 
3* 



1786, 


a 


12 


1788, 


ti 


19 


1798, 


u 


15 


1807, 


a 


18 


1808, 


a 


33 


1813, 


<c 


20 


1825, 


(( 


7 


1832, 


(( 


25 



34 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Eleazer W. Hannum, chosen 1833, 

Samuel Williston, " 1841, served 11 years. 

Luther Wright, '' 1857, 

E. Alonzo Clark, " 1857. 

The present church edifice was built in 1836 and '7, 
from a plan drawn by William F. Pratt of Northampton, 
Mr. Pratt and Jason Clark were the contractors. The 
corner stone was laid June 9, 1836. The house was ded- 
icated March 16, 1837, on which occasion a sermon was 
preached from Acts 8, 49, by the pastor, Rev. Mr. Bement. 
Its dimensions are 80 by 50 feet, and it originally cost less 
than $6,000. In the autumn of 1844, owing partially to 
the increase of numbers, consequent upon the establishment 
of Williston Seminary, the church edifice was enlarged by 
the substitution of more capacious galleries. The building 
was also set back fifty' fe«t, and at Mr. Williston's expense 
the spire remodeled, and built seventeen feet higher, and 
an organ and clock introduced. In 1865, it was removed 
from its original site to a location near by, and which, in 
some respects, was more desirable. At that time the whole 
interior was remodeled, the galleries lowered, the pews re- 
built, the walls neatly frescoed, a modern style of pulpit and 
furniture introduced, and an addition made in the rear 
of the house for the accommodation of the organ and 
choir. The repairs were made at a cost of more than 
^5,000. 

The present number of church members is 253. The 
number in 1833, at the settlement of Mr. Bement, was 
222. 

In the year 1818, efforts were first made to establish a 
Sabbath School here. The project was opposed by some, 
on the ground that the children, if left to themselves, as 
they necessarily would be after the dismission of the school, 
would not conduct ii; a manner becoming, the sanctity, of 



cnuRCHEs. 35 

the day; and it also was thought to be an innovation to 
have a school on the Sabbath ; but so earnest were the 
friends of the enterprise that opposition finally ceased, and 
a school organized in the district school house that stood 
at the junction of Park and Main streets. 

Hon. Samuel Williston and Rev. Solomon Lyman, then 
in early life, were largely instrumental in its establishment 
here, and neither they nor any others who have bestowed 
their efforts in the behalf of this work have seen any reason 
to regret the exertions which they have made. The enter- 
prise gained in favor with the people, and has ever since 
been sustained. It has met with an encouraging degree 
of success during the thirty-eight years of its existence. 
A hearty co-operation on the part of the parents, not only 
by their sympathy, but by their presence, has been long 
felt by those engaged in the school to be an essential requi- 
site to the fullest degree of success. 

The communion service which is in use by the church 
was the gift of Mrs. Tirzah, widow of Luther Clapp. She 
died August 13, ISll. In her will she bequeathed $300 
to the church and town, $35 of which, according to her 
direction, was expended in the purchase of a pall cloth, 
and the balance fell to the church. In 184G, a commodious 
brick parsonage was erected on one of the pleasantest sites 
in the town at an expense of $3,000, the greater portion 
of which was built by Mr. Williston, though the society 
relinquished to him the old parsonage. 

The church has been blessed with many revival sea- 
sons when the renewing and sanctifjdng influence of 
the Holy Spirit have descended abundantly, bringing 
blessings unspeakably great and precious to the church. 
Particularly worthy of note are those which occurred ia 
the years 1789, 1806, '16, ':33,,'2.8, '31, '54, '58. 



B& HISTORY OW BASTHAMPTOIT. 

THE PAYSON CHTJECH AND SOCIETY. 

The large increase of the population of the town, conse- 
quent upon the establishment of Williston Seminary, and 
the removal of the button works from Haydenville to East- 
hampton, was thought to render it necessary that another 
house of worship should be erected. The first meeting 
for the organization of a second church was held July 8, 
1852. It was voted that the church should bear the name 
of the Payson Church. July 12, 1852, an invitation was 
extended to Rev. E-. S. Stone to become the pastor of the 
new church and society, which v/as accepted. The church, 
consisting originally of 100 members, was organized Dec. 
28th of the same year, and the church edifice dedicated in 
the evening of the same day. The dedication sermon was 
delivered by Dr. N. Adams of Boston. The services of 
mstallation were conducted as follows :•— Sermon by Rev. 
Dr. Hitchcock of Amherst College, from Romans 9, 1—13. 
Charge to the pastor by Rev. Mr. Root of Williamsburg,. 
Right Hand of Fellowship by Rev. Dr. Hall of North- 
ampton, Installing Prayer by Rev. Mr. Judd of Whately, 
Address to the people by Rev. Mr. Clapp of Brattleboro. 
Hon. Samuel Williston and Dr. Atherton Clark were 
chosen deacons. E. A. Hubbard served as church clerk 
until 1855, when C. B. Johnson, Esq., was chosen, and 
he has since held that office. Seth Warner was the first 
treasurer of the society, and has been the treasurer 
of the church from^ its. formation. Lucius Preston has 
for a number of years filled the office of treasurer of the 
society. 

The church at its commencement was very unfortunate 
in their house of worship. Three houses have been erected, 
of which two were destroyed by fire, and the third partially 
destroyed by the falling, of the steeple, Tixe first house, 



CHURCHES. . 37 

which was erected in 1852, was burned on Sabbath 
morning, January 29, 1854, the fire having caught from 
the furnace. There was no insurance. The erection 
of the second building was commenced early the follow- 
ing spring, and September 1, 1854, when more than 
half finished, was again destroyed by fire. The walls and 
foundation were partially saved, but there was no insu- 
rance, and the loss was almost wholly borne by Mr. Wil- 
liston. Instead of being disheartened by these losses, the 
society, with an energy worthy of much praise, immediately 
commenced the erection of a third building, which was 
completed in 1855, and dedicated September 6th> of that 
year, on which occasion a sermon was preached by Rev. 
Mr. Stone, from Psalms .132, 8. The cost of this house, 
exclusive of bell, &c., was about $14,000, which was borne 
by Mr. Williston. In this, as in the first case, the bell, 
$-560, was given by Mr. Seth Warner, the organ, $2,500, 
by Hon. H. G. Knight, and the furniture by the society. 
The house was of brick, 87 by 50 feet, with a tower pro- 
jection of 15 feet, and a pulpit recess of 9 feet. The spire 
was 163 feet in height, and of beautiful proportions. 
While its work of rebuilding was in progress the society 
held its meetings at the Town Hall. "The First church 
and society kindly invited their sister society to meet with 
them, but preferring to keep their pastor employed and 
their organization in good condition, and for the further 
reason that the house with both societies would be too 
crowded, the invitation was, with many thanks, declined." 
When the second house was destroyed, the parsonage near 
by was also burned. The pastor also sustained considera- 
ble loss by the destruction and damage to furniture, &c. 
While the third church edifice was being built, the society 
erected another parsonage of brick. It cost, besides the 
land and foundation, about $4,000. Mr. Williston and 
Mr. Knight each contributed $1,400 for this object. 



WS HTSTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Early in the morning of January 2, 1862, the tall spire of 
the church was blown down by a high wind. It fell upon 
the roof of the building, entirely demolishing it, and laying 
the interior in ruins. The organ and desk, however, 
escaped injury. The vestry remained unharmed, and in 
this room the congregation held their public services while 
the upper part was being rebuilt. At this time an addition 
was made to the building in the rear, to furnish a recess 
for the organ and choir behind the pulpit, " The dimen- 
sions of the present church edifice are as follows : — External 
length of the main body, 89 feet by 50 in width; height 
of spire, 163 feet; organ recess, 27 by 19 feet. The audi- 
ence room is 75 by 48, below, and in the gallery 87 by 
48, adding the space above the porch; The total expense 
of building and rebuilding the church thus far cannot fall 
below $50,000. By far the larger part of this has been 
the immediate gift of one man, the son of a poor minister, 
the first pastor of the First church in this place." 

Mew Mr. Stone retained his connection as pastor of the 
church until January 21, 1863. During his ministry over. 
the church, extending through a period of a little more 
than ten years, Mr. Stone labored with zeal and fidelity 
for their upbuilding. He was with them during all their 
reverses and discouragements, and shared these in sym- 
pathy with his people. His ministry was blessed in the 
hopeful conversion of many. The addition of converts 
averaged about one a month during this time, though at a 
little more than half the communion seasons there were 
no additions. 

In the fall of the same year, the church and society ex- 
tended an invitation to Rev. S. T. Seelye, D. D,, of 
Albany, to become their pastor. He accepted the invita- 
tion, and was installed October 14, 1863. Since that 
time he has continued to labor among the people, by \yhom 



CHURCHES. 39 

he is held in high esteem. His labors have bee a blessed 
with much success, and many have been added to the 
church. Its present number of members is 345, of whom 
113 are males, and 232 females. The additions during 
1865 were 33 on profession and 10 by letter. The num- 
ber dismissed was 20, died 7, making a net gain of 16 
during the year. 

The following persons have been chosen to fill the office 
of deacon since the organization of the church : — Dr. Ath- 
erton Clark, Nov. 14, 1852; Samuel Williston, Nov. 14, 
1852; Charles B. Johnson, Aug. 29, 1861; Ansel B. 
Lyman, Aug. 29, 1861; Seth Warner, June 2, 1864; E. 
A. Hubbard, June 2, 1864; E. H. Sawyer, March 1, 1866. 

THE METHODIST CHUKCH AND SOCIETY. 

The establishment of the manufacturing business here 
brought into the town a number of persons connected with 
the Methodist denomination. The growth of ^the town, it 
was thought, would soon necessitate the ereotion of another 
house of worship. Rev. Mr. Potter, a preacher connected 
with the Methodist Conference, was engaged, and meetings 
were held on the Sabbath in the Town Hall. This was 
in the year 1850 or '51. The enterprise, however, did 
not meet with sufficient success to v/arrant the formation 
of a society, and after a time it was abandoned. Many of 
its friends became connected with the Payson church on 
its organization soon after. For ten years nothing more 
was done by this denomination. During the fall and 
winter of 1862, prayer meetings were established in private 
houses by a few individuals, which awakened considerable 
religious interest. This interest extended, and meetings 
were held in a hall provided for that purpose. During 
the progress of this work of grace, large numbers were 
awakened, and very many professed an interest in Christ. 



40 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

The preliminary steps in tlie formation of a society were 
taken in the last of '62. Its organization was fully effected 
in April, 1863, when Rev. S. Jackson was appointed its 
first pastor. This new movement soon commended itself 
to public confidence, by the good it was accomplishing, 
particularly among those not hitherto reached by the other 
societies. 

At a town meeting held in the fall of 1864, the town, 
with great liberality, donated to the society a piece of land 
in the center of the village, on which to erect a house of 
worship. 

Late in the summer of 1865 they broke ground for the 
erection of a church, 50 by 80 feet, and the work of build- 
ing has been pushed forward with commendable rapidity, 
till the exterior is at present nearly completed. The style 
is somewhat unique in this section of the state, being the 
*' pure early English Gothic," the style immediately fol- 
lowing the "Norman Gothic," and preceding the "deco- 
rated English Gothic," and " a favorite on account of its 
purity and simplicity." The estimated cost is $13,000. 
It is expected to be completed early in the ensuing fall. 
The society numbers about 350. The church membership 
is nearly 150. 

In the spring of 1866, Rev. Mr. Jackson was called 
to labor elsewhere, and the church is now under the pas- 
toral care of Rev. Franklin Furber. Mr. Jackson was 
highly esteemed during his stay here, not only among his 
own people, but throughout the community. 



CHAPTER III. 

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. 
PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 

The first school which was taught in town, of which we 
have any reliable record, was at Pascomrauck, in the year 
173^. At that time, Northampton appropriated a sum of 
money for a school there. There is no account of any 
further appropriation until 1748. In this year, and in 
nearly every subsequent year, they gave money for schooling 
at Bartlett's Mill, and at Pascommuck. The wages of 
teachers in those times appear small in comparison with 
what teachers now receive. Six shillings a week were paid 
to Obadiah Janes, Philip Clark, Joel Parsons and others 
for keeping school in their own districts, when they boarded 
themselves. If the teacher lived out of the district more 
was sometimes paid. Then only the rudiments of educa- 
tion, as they are now considered, were taught. Perhaps, 
however, their education was as sufficient for the wants of 
those times as is ours for the wants of the present day. 
Science and literary culture were comparatively little ad- 
vanced, while popular education was, as it were, still in its 
infancy. At all events, this training prepared them to 
perform well their part in cherishing the liberties which the 
Pilgrim Fathers sought in coming to these shores. 

At a meeting of the freeholders of Easthampton soon 
4 



42 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

after its incorporation, £15 were raised for the use of 
schools, of which, at this time, there were probably but 
three. The same sum was annually appropriated until 
1793, when it was increased to £20. Since that time the 
pecuniary provision for schools has more than kept pace 
with the increasing number of children. 
In 1807 $200 were raised for the use of schools. 



" 1820 


220 


*' 1830 


300 


*' 1840 


860 


»' 1850 


600 


" 1860 


1200 


'' 1865 


2200 


" 1866 


3500 



Besides the sum raised in 1866 for the support of 
schools, the sum of $3800 was appropriated for building 
new school houses. 

In 1797 the town was first divided into school districts, 
of which there were four. Nashawannuck comprised that 
section of the town bounded on the south by Manhan river, 
and west by Saw-mill brook. The West district was 
bounded on the south by Manhan river, and east by Saw- 
mill brook. Pascommuck was bounded on the north by 
Manhan river, and on the west by Broad brook. The 
Center district comprised nearly all the remaining portion, 
though a few families in the extreme southeastern part 
were included in no district. At a later period the town 
was divided into six districts. 

At first the management of the school was left entirely 
in the hands of the district, the money raised by the town 
being equitably apportioned to the several districts, and 
by them spent according to their discretion. Later, how- 
ever, a general committee was appointed, whose duty it 
was to examine teachers, and visit the schools to inquire 



EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. 43 

into their progress. The hiring of teachers, the disburse- 
ment of the money, and the ownership of the school houses 
were still in the hands of the district. In 1864, by vote 
of the town, the districts were abolished, and the whole 
contiol of the schools passed into the hands of the general 
committee, the town purchasing the school houses of the 
several districts. To this measure there was considerable 
opposition, and time will be required to show whether or 
not it was a wise course. 

In the spring of 1864, it was voted to establish a high, 
school, and a sum of money appropriated to purchase a 
site, and provide materials for the erection of ^ suitable 
building for this purpose. The building was completed 
in the summer of 1865, at a total cost of 815,000. It was 
dedicated August 29, 1865, The building is a very fine 
one, and an ornament to the place. It is capable of 
accommodating 212 scholars. 

The rapid increase in the population of the town has 
called for the erection of several new school houses. 
During the past year, there were 12 schools held, with an 
aggregate attendance during the summer and fall terms 
of 518. 

WILLISTON SEMINARY. 

Any notice of the leading features in the history of 
Easthampton would not be complete without mention of 
the Seminary established there by the extraordinary munif- 
icence of the Hon. Samuel Williston. 

" This Institution," says Mr. Luther Wright, in his 
Historical Sketch of Easthampton, " originated in a desire 
to extend the advantages of a thorough training in the 
elements of an English and classical education. The idea 
of such a school was suggested sometime before the close 
of 1840 ;. but it was not fully and finally decided to found 



44 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

and locate it here till December of that year, or in January, 
1841. In February following, it was incorporated with 
the power to hold $50,000 for educational purposes. It 
was opened for the admission of students Dec. 2, 1841. 

** The founder of this Seminary and its early friends, 
hoped that the existence of such a school, of the high order 
they contemplated, would greatly promote the interests of 
Academical education in Western Massachusetts. It was 
not their aim merely to multiply Academies. These, such 
as they were, were already quite numerous enough in this 
region. But they had either a very small endowment, or 
none at all ; and were generally farmed or let out to teach- 
ers, who kept up schools, in the best way they could, 
through the year, or a part of it. There could seldom be 
any division of labor in teaching, for want of funds to pro- 
cure a suitable number of competent teachers. The minds 
of the teachers were often distracted by the many recita- 
tions they were obliged to hear, in a manner as unsatisfac- 
tory to themselves as to their pupils. And then, again, 
there was a lack of discipline in these Academies generally, 
so essential to the existence of a good school. It was not 
strange that the motive to have as large a number as pos- 
sible connected with the Academy — because the more 
students the more salary — should often have had too strong 
an influence in retaining scholars. And as no school can 
be distinguished for thoroughness of instruction unless 
equally marked in its character for strictness of discipline, 
it was deemed an object of great moment to the interests 
of education in this region that an academical institution 
should be established, with a sufficient endowment, on the 
one hand, to allow the employment of an adequate number 
of competent teachers, with the necessary divison of labor 
in teaching ; and on the other hand, that these teachers 
should be independent in the control and government of 



EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. 45 

their pupils. Strictness in discipline, and thoroughness in 
instruction, with the word of God, were to constitute the 
true basis of the new institution. Its crowning excellence 
was to consist of a faithful application, on the part of the 
teachers, of the great principles of the Bible to the con- 
sciences, intellects and hearts of their pupils. Unless the 
above named objects were kept steadily in view by the 
teachers, and as steadily pursued, the existence of the 
Seminary was not demanded. With these sure elements 
of prosperity, and amply endowed, as it may be, to enable 
the teachers to accomplish the designs in view, its estab- 
lishment was regarded, at the time it was founded, as an 
object of the highest importance. The fact, that, within a 
few years after it went into operation, thousands of our 
youth had availed themselves of its advantages, is evidence 
of th^ high estimation in which it was held by the public, 
and also of the wisdom of its establishment. Of these thou- 
sands, many have completed their collegiate course, many 
others are now in college, while several hundred more, 
having been greatly aided here in qualifying themselves as 
teachers in our common schools, have been and still are 
engaged in that important sphere of duty. One great 
object in view in the establishment of the Seminary, was 
to raise up and qualify common school teachers for their 
employment." 

In the Constitution of the Seminary, Mr. Williston, in 
the exercise of a just regard for the moral as well as the 
intellectual welfare of the members of the school, throws 
about them these wholesome restrictions: — 

** And in particular, no student shall board in any pro- 
fane or otherwise vicious family, or where intoxicating 
drinks are sold or used- as a beverage, or where the influ- 
ence of the family is, in any way, prejudicial to the morals 
of youth, or hostile to the great interests of the Seminary* . 
4* 



46 . HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON: 

"To preclude all misunderstanding of the design of 
Williston Seminary, I declare again in conclusion, that the 
primary and principal object of the Institution is the glory 
of God in the extension of the Christian Religion, and in 
the promotion of true piety among men ; that the disci- 
pline of the mind in all its^ noble faculties is, and should* 
be deemed, next in importance ; and that in subservience 
to these paramount ends, the several branches of useful 
knowledge, above mentioned, should be assiduously culti- 
vated. Accordingly^ I hereby ordain and require that the 
school exercises of each day shall be opened and closed 
with the reading of the Scriptures and prayer; that at 
some convenient and suitable hour of each week an exercise 
in the Bible, either a lecture or recitation, as may be 
thought best, shall be held for the benefit of the whole 
school; that, by precept and example, the teachers shall 
encourage the pupils in holding occasional meetings for 
social religious worship; and at other times and in other • 
ways they shall take frequent opportunities to impart moral 
and religious instruction to the members of the Seminary. 
And that all these efforts m.ay not be thwarted by the 
influence of bad members, it is proper and indispensable 
that great pains be taken, both by trustees and teachers, 
for the prompt removal, by private dismission or public 
expulsion, as the case may require, of any incorrigibly 
indolent, disorderly, profane, or otherwise vicious youth 
from all connection with the Seminary." 

The first Principal of the Institution was Rev. Luther 
Wright, a native of the town, and one who sympathized 
fully with the founder in the object aimed at in the estab- 
lishment of the school, and in, the method by which that 
end was to be attained. Indeed; it may be said that to 
him in no small degree is the town and the community in- 
debted. for its. establishment here^andfor its success. The 



EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS. 47 

original building, which was of wood, was burned March 
4, 1857. Its place was supplied with a large brick build- 
ing, completed near the close of the same year, at a cost of 
about $20,000. 

Before this time, however, a second building, constructed 
of brick, had been erected, in which the chemical and 
philosophical department found accommodation. In it 
there was also a large school-room» and a recitation room 
adjoining, while the upper story and wing were occupied 
for student's rooms. 

In the fall of 1863, the foundation for a gymnasium was 
laid. Owing partly to a scarcity of building materials, it 
was not completed and ready for occupancy until the sum- 
mer term of 1865. It may safely be said to be one of the 
finest gymnasiums in the country, and the excellent oppor- 
tunity it affords to students for regular systematic exercise,, 
cannot fail to be beneficial, and it certainly adds another 
attraction.to the many which the institution already pos- 
sessed. It has on the lower floor four bowling alleys, 
besides adjoining rooms for recitation, for washing, and for 
dressing. In the upper part is a capacious gallery for spec- 
tators, besides the floor for exercise. The structure is 
80x50 feet, with a tower 102 feet in height, and cost, 
together with the land, over $20,000. 

Last year the chemical laboratory was entirely remodel- 
ed, and new apparatus purchased, for which $2,500 was 
exp'^nded. In the philosophical department, also, new 
apparatus was obtained, to the amount of $3,000. A 
new dormitory, which is to be of brick, and four stories 
in height, is in process of erection. It stands near 
wh^^re the First Congregational church stood, and is to be 
erected at an estimated cost of $50,000. With the excep- 
tion of one school-room, it is to be occupied with sleeping 
paartmentSi The buildings^ grounds, apparatus, fixtures, 



48 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

furniture and working capital of the institution, will amount 
to not less than S225,000. 

In 1863, Rev. Josiah Clark, who was the second Prin- 
cipal of the Seminary, which place he had held during a 
period of fourteen years, resigned his position, much to 
the regret of the members of the Seminary, and others. 
He was succeeded by Rev. Marshall Henshaw, who had 
been Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in 
Rutgers College. He still occupies the post, and since his 
appointment has discharged its duties with fidelity. 

During the twenty-five years of the existence of the In- 
stitution, a large number of students have here laid the 
foundation for a classical education, many of whom are 
now engaged as ministers of the gospel at home or abroad, 
and a still larger number, probably, have here studied the 
advanced branches of an English course. The Seminary 
has many times, especially during its early history, been 
blessed with the gracious outpourings of God's spirit, when 
many have been led to the Saviour. 

Its influence, through those who have gone forth from 
it, has been very wide spr€ad, and, from its large endow' 
ment, we can feel assured that this influence will be 
permanent. 



CHAPTER IV. 



EARLY CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY. 

We have now considered the early history of the town, 
the hardships which our f;ithers endured, and the perils 
which they encountered from the hostile Indians. We 
have seen their incorporation as a district, differing only 
from a town in that they were denied the right of repre- 
sentation. We have followed out the history of the 
original church, and of those since founded. What re- 
mains to be said of its subsequent history will perhaps be 
more conveniently given under different heads, which will 
be successively presented. 

A remarkable unanimity of sentiment has always pre- 
vailed among its inhabitants, on political subjects. . In 
the time of Jefferson, and before, the town was strongly 
federal. Not more than six or eight votes were cast for the 
candidates for the Democratic party. After the Federalist 
party became extinct in name, the Whigs, who held, in the 
main, their principles, were greatly in the ascendant ; and, 
since the organization of the Republican party, it has 
polled about nine-tenths of the vote of the town. 

While, however, the people have been as enthusiastic in 
their political associations and preferences as those of any 
other section, these have not exercised a controlling in- 
fluence in the choice of town officers. Here, merit and 



50 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

fitness for office, rather than party feeling, have directed in 
the selection. 

In the early Indian and the Revolutionary wars, the 
history of this town is identified with that of Northamp- 
ton. The citizens of this section, however, contributed 
their full proportion of men and means. 

Rev. Luther Wright, in his historical sketch of East- 
hampton, from which, by the way, together with the half 
century sermon of- Rev. Mr. Williston, we have derived 
much assistance, says : — " It is not known exactly how 
many, from what is now Eastham.pton, were engaged in the 
war of the Revolution. It is certain that among those en- 
gaged more or less in the service of their country, were 
Capt. Joseph Clapp and Quartermaster Benjamin Clapp, 
Dr. Stephen Wood and his sons, Daniel and David ; the 
father died in the service at West Point ; John Clapp, who 
was in the army four years, Benjamin layman, Jr., Stephen 
Wright, Jr., David Clapp, who never returned, Levi Clapp, 
Eliakim Clark, afterwards Captain, Moses Gouch, Barzillai 
Brewer, and Willet Chapman. The last two died in the 

army." 

shay's rebellion. 

The first event which necessitated the calling forth of 
troops, after the Revolutionary war, was Shay's rebellion. 
The expenses which had been incurred in carrying on the 
war, the depreciation in value of paper currency, the heavy 
taxation, and the extent of public and private indebtedness, 
all contributed to bring about a state of popular discontent. 
The amount of individual liabilities, and the consequent 
legal action on the part of creditors to recover their dues, 
had caused the people to grow restive under their burdens. 

As is usual in such times, the government v/as held re- 
sponsible for the distress. There were also certain dema^ 
gogues, who were ready to embrace any opportunity to 



EARLY CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY. 51 

advance their own interests, by whatever means. Promi- 
nent among these was Daniel Shay. These added fuel to 
the flame. Criminal courts were broken up at various 
places, by lawless mobs. Conventions of the people were 
held, to consider the grievances. Although these, at first, 
disclaimed all connection with these riotous proceedings, 
they only fanned the flame of discontent. Not content 
with breaking up the inferior courts, they attempted to 
break up the Supreme Judicial Court at Springfield ; but 
their designs were anticipated, and soldiers provided for 
the emergency. Among these was a company of about 
twenty, commanded by Capt. David Lyman and Lieut. 
Noah Janes. We have been unable to find a record of the 
names of the membei^s of this company, but it is believed 
that the following list comprises nearly all : — Lemuel Ly- 
man, Elijah Wright, Gideon Wright, Stephen Wright, 
Levi Clapp, Thaddeus Clapp, Eleazar Hannum, Justice 
Lyman, Eliakim Clark, Eleazar Clark, Enos Janes, Silas 
Brown, Arad Brown, Job Strong, Israel Phelps, Zadok 
Danks. 

The rebellion culminated in an attempt to capture the 
arsenal on Springfield hill. It was on the 25th of Jan- 
uary, 1787. The post was commanded by Gen. Shepard, 
with 800 government troops. He warned the insurgents, 
as they were advancing, to desist, but they gave no heed. 
He then ordered his artillery to be fired, first at their right, 
then at their left, and then over their heads, all of which 
was done without eflect. A volley was then fired among 
them, when they dispersed. When it was known that this 
attack was meditated, a small company of men, raised in 
Southampton and Easthampton, started to reinforce the 
government troops, but they were captured by a detach- 
ment of the insurrectionists. They were, however, only 
held in custody two or three days, in consequence of the 



52 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

defeat at Springfield. There was but a single person in 
Easthampton who was active in the rebellion, and but few 
who sympathized with it, and these were the old tories of 
the Revolution, 

The people felt that their liberties had been gained at 
too dear a price of blood and treasure, for them to surren- 
der them into the hands of a feAv demagogues, or to lift 
their hands against the state, even though there were some 
causes of dissatisfaction. 

THE WAR OF 1812. 

When the second war with England arose, the citizens of 
this town, in common with other parts of New England, op- 
posed it. They regarded the mother country as " struggling 
against a monster of political iniquity, whose success they 
regarded as the greatest of all political evils." That there 
were grievances, they did not doubt. But they believed that 
England never would have resorted to the impressment of 
searo.en, except to save herself from the grasp of France. 
They considered an appeal to arms a^ the last resort of an 
aggrieved party. At a meeting of the town, July 6, 1812, 
it was voted to oppose a war with England. Voted, also, 
that the selectmen be a committee to send a memorial to 
Congress, and also " a committee of safety, to receive in- 
formation for public safety, upon public affairs." Thaddeus 
Clapp was appointed a delegate to the county convention, 
held at Northampton, for the purpose of " considering the 
duty of government upon the war question." Their op- 
position to the war was only in principle, and did not lead 
them to any acts of open resistance. A company was 
called for from Southampton and Easthampton, to go to 
Boston and defend it against an anticipated attack from 
the British. The following persons were drafted: — John 
Alpress, Elisha Alvord, Worcester Avery, Levi Brown, 



EAKLY CIVIL AND- MILITARY HISTORY. 53 

George Clapp, James Clapp, Philip Clark, Gershon Danks, 
Stephen Hendrick, Moses Goiich, Luther Pomeroy, Spen- 
cer Pomeroy, Jesse Ring, Harris Wight, Collins Wood, 
Ebenezer Wood. Thaddeus Parsons was Lieutenant of 
the Company. 

Jesse Coats of this town, was at the same time a mem- 
ber of the Northampton Artillery Company, which did 
service at the same time. 



CHAPTER V. 



MANUFACTUEES. 



Agriculture being the principal employment of the 
people, manufactures received but little attention until 
the year 1847, when Mr. Williston commenced his 
operations at Broad Brook. There is however, one branch 
of that department of industry which, although less 
important and now out of date, deserves a passing notice. 

Probably about the year 1780, Jonathan Clapp com- 
menced the business of fulling cloth. He occupied a 
portion of the grist-mill, where for a number of years he 
carried on the business, receiving the cloth which had been 
woven in the various families of the surrounding towns, 
and " fulling " it, as it was termed, an operation by 
which it was thickened and rendered firmer. The custo- 
mary charge for fulling was three cents a yard. After 
undergoing this operation, it needed to be " dressed " to 
render it fit for clothing. 

Soon after, Capt Joseph Olapp built a fulling mill on 
Broad Brook, a short distance below the button and sus- 
pender factories, where he not only fulled cloth, but col- 
ored and dressed it, for which he charged twenty-five cents 
per yard. There were but few mills of this description 
in this region, and hence he carried on quite a flourishing 
business. 



MANUFACTURES. 55 

In the year 1792, or 1793, Thaddeus Clapp, son of 
Joseph, went to Worthington, and engaged in this busi- 
ness, but in consequence of a failure of his supply of water, 
he soon returned and entered into copartnership with his 
father. This relation existed until the death of the latter 
in 1797, when the works were removed to Manhan river 
near the grist-mill. After the business was given up by 
Mr. Clapp it was conducted successively by Roswell 
Knight, by Lowell E, and Jason Janes, then by Janes <fe 
Alvord, and lastly by Janes & Ferry, In 1835, by the 
last named persons the old shop was torn down, and the 
building, now occupied by H. B. Shoals, as a tannery, was 
erected for the manufacture of satinet. It was filled with 
machinery and run until 1837, when cloths were sold for 
less than the first cost of the wool. The works were con- 
sequently suspended. The first power loom ever run in 
this town was started in that mill. When hand looms 
were superseded by water power looms, the necessity for 
mills of this description ceased to exist. They had per- 
formed their part in the progress of manufactures,, and 
must give way before its further advance. Its priority of 
date, and not its extent, entitles this branch to the first 
mention, for when it is compared with the extensive man- 
ufacturing interests of the town at present, it seems small 
indeed. 

The real history of this branch df industry in this town,, 
may be said to have commenced with Hon. Samuel Willis- 
ton, who is known abroad, not so much as a man of 
business and wealth, as he is as a munificent patron of edu- 
cation. Williston Seminary, which he founded, and which 
ranks second to none in the land as a preparatory school, 
— Amherst College, which holds no unenviable position 
among the first class colleges in the country, a position 
which it owes in no small degree to his benefactions, — Mt. 



56 HISTOKY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Holyoke Seminary, pioneer and princess among institu- 
tions for the advanced education of young women, — these 
have given him his reputation, and tell the story better 
than words of ours can do. But the ability to do all 
this he owes, under God, to his great success as a manu- 
facturer. 

He commenced the sewed button business here, as early 
as 1827, and continued it for quite a number of years. 
With good management it constantly increased. At one 
time he gave employment to as many as a thousand fami- 
lies, who resided in towns as far north as Hatfield, east to 
Granby, south to West Springfield, and west to Peru. He 
also engaged somewhat largely in the manufacture of silk 
twist buttons. They were made by winding twist upon 
wooden molds of different shapes and sizes. They were 
used upon expensive garments,' and hence did not take the 
place of sewed buttons. In 1836, while in New York 
making sales, he came across some buttons imported from 
England, called the " Florentine flexible shank button." 
The thought suggested itself to his mind, that they might 
as well be made here as in England, and, with this idea, 
he purchased a quantity of them, brought them home, and 
carried them to Messrs. Joel and Josiah Hayden of Wil- 
liamsburg, who had made a large quantity of button molds 
for him. An engagement was entered into, according to 
which they were to ir^ent the machinery, and manufac- 
ture the buttons, while he was to furnish the money and 
make the sales ; they were to undertake the mechanical, 
and he the commercial part, and the profits were to be 
shared. 

This business was comparatively new in this country. 
Several attempts had been made to manufacture buttons 
covered by machinery, but the degree of success which 
had rewarded these endeavors was not such as to encour- 



MANUFACTURES. 57 

age the further continuance of the enterprise, which re- 
quired the most complicated machinery and the most 
skillful management. The work was however undertaken, 
and the winter of 1833-4 was spent in efforts to invent 
and construct the proper machinery. 

In the early part of 1834, Mr. Williston met, in New 
York, Francis Sidney, a Creole, who had been employed 
in one of the large button manufacturing establishments 
in England, and understood the making of buttons. He 
was engaged to come to Haydenville and assist in con- 
structing the machinery, in which work he rendered essen- 
tial aid. He introduced a radical change in the character 
of the button machinery, as it had been before employed 
and attempted, and was the author of some of the dis- 
tinctive features of the business as since carried on, though 
no process of his introduction is now in use. 

By the 4th of July one covering machine was in readi- 
ness, and on that day the first buttons were covered by 
Miss Elvira Clapp of Southampton^ This was the begin- 
ning of the button business as it now exists here. It 
speaks highly for the mechanical skill and ingenuity of the 
Messrs, Hay den, and of those machinists whom they em- 
ployed, that they were able to ensure success to an enter- 
prise so fraught with difficulty, as the invention and con- 
struction of machinery for making buttons. 

In a few years, Josiah Hayden sold out his interest 
in the concern to his brother, and in 1847 Mr. Williston 
bought the interest of Joel Hayden, and in the follow- 
ing year transferred the works to Easthampton, where he 
erected a building 97 by 45 feet, three stories high, be- 
sides an attic. About this time he took in Horatio G. 
Knight and afterwards Seth Warner as partners. Since 
that time, the business has been carried on by the firm of 
Williston, Knight & Co., until Dec. 1, 1865, when the; 
5* 



5*8 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON;. 

partnership expired, and a stock company, called the 
*' National Button Company," was formed, with a capital 
of $1 50,000. Of this company Mt. Williston is President, 
and its Treasurer is Mr. Knight, who for a number of years 
has been Ihe active manager of the business. 

The manufacture of sewed buttons did not entirely 
cease with the introduction of the " flexible shank button," 
but they were gradually superseded by them, so that the 
former are now entirely out of date. 

This company gives employment to 125 hands,, and; 
turns out 1200 gross of buttons daily, of over 300 kinds, 
including shape, size, quality, color and material. They 
expect soon to be able to produce 1500 gross daily.. A 
great deal of silk and brocade fabric is used, which 
renders the material quite costly. The value of stock 
annually consumed is $60,000, and that of the manu- 
factured products $160,000. The building at present 
occupied is 106 by 30 feet, with a wing 40 by 20. It was 
built in 1861. At that time the one at first erected was- 
leased tothe Goodyear Elastic Fabric Co.. 

The button business requires close calculation, and rig- 
id economy in its management. There has been from the 
first great competition, both in the sewed and manufac- 
tured button. It is a fact worthy of note, that almost all 
who have embarked in the enterprise have failed. 

In 1848 and 9, Mr. Williston erected a brick building 
by the side of the button factory, to be occupied in the 
manufacture of suspender webbing, which business he con- 
tinued in his own. name until 1852, when. he sold out to a 
joint stock company, which had obtained a charter from 
the Legislature. 

It assumed the name of the Nashawannuck Manufactur- 
itig Co. Mr. Williston has been President, and E. H. 
Sawyer,. Treasurer and Agent, since its first organ- 



MANUFACTURES. 59 

ization. These gentlemen, together with H. G. Knight, 
are the principal stockholders who reside in Easthampton, 
while there are large owners of stock in New York, 
Boston, and other places. 

The capital of the company was originally ^100,000, 
was afterwards at different periods increased to $125,000, 
$140,000, and $200,000, and is now $300,000 while they 
have been empowered by the Legislature to increase the 
capital to $500,000. 

A.t the time of their organization the company purchas- 
ed the right to use Chas. Goodyear's vulcanized rubber in 
all kinds of woven goods. This purchase almost gave 
them the monopoly of this branch of business, and has 
contributed largely to their success. They afterward dis- 
posed of this right to the Goodyear Elastic Fabric Co., 
and the Glendale Vulcanized Rubber Co., reserving to 
themselves only the right to use it in suspenders and 
frills.. 

The business flburished' in their hands to &uch an 
extent, that in 1855 it became necessary to erect another 
building to supply their increasing trade. In 1856 they 
purchased of Atwater & Bristol their suspender works in 
New Haven, and for four years manufactured goods in 
that place. In 1860 that property was destroyed by fire, 
at considerable loss. Instead of rebuilding there they put 
upia factory here, filling the space between the two others 
occupied by them, thus making one continuous structure 
315 feet in length, and about 40 in breadth, to which is- 
now added a-, wing extending back. In addition to this,. 
they occupy a large three story building as an ofiice, fin- 
ishing and store room, together with several smaller build- 
ings in the rear of the main factory. Until 1860 they* 
used the lower floor of Williston, Knight, & Co.'s button 
factory, in the manufacture of cotton yarn for their owni 



60 HISTOKY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

use. Such was their increase of business, however, that 
they were obliged to purchase monthly several thousand 
dollars worth of cotton yarn, and it was therefore thought 
best to abandon the making of yarn altogether. Ac- 
cordingly thgy disposed of their cotton spinning machin- 
ery to Mr. Williston, who was then contemplating the 
establishment of this branch of business here. 

A little later they organized a new company for the 
manufacture of rubber thread, to which they sold their 
rubber machinery, and entirely relinquished this depart- 
ment of their manufactures, thus confining themselves 
more closely to their own proper work, the weaving of 
suspenders and other webbing. 

This company whose beginnings were small, has pros- 
pered exceedingly. Its stock has been very valuable and 
its dividends large. In the aggregate they have turned 
out an immense amount of goods of the best quality. 
The increase of business may be seen in the fact, that, in 
1852, they manufactured and sold goods to the amount of 
only $100,000, while in 1865 the value of manufactured 
products was about $1,200,000-, which, even considering 
the enhanced prices of these times, is a large increase. 

They are now owners of all the real estate which they 
occupy, having recently bought of Mr. Williston that por- 
tion of it which they previously rented ; and they now own 
about half the water power at the upper mills, which is 
sufficient for all their purposes. The present capacity of 
their works is 4000 dozen pair of suspenders per week, 
and, in addition to this, about 50,000 yards of frills and 
other narrow webbing. 

They own thirt5^-two tenements and four boarding houses, 
run about 150 looms, and, during the year 1865, paid for 
yarn, $238,000; for buckles, $35,000 ; about $15,000 for 
^ye-stufFs ; and $72,000 for rubber thread, while for labor, 



MANUFACTURES. 61 

their expenditure amounted to $83,000 tog<?ther with 
nearly $40,000 pjjid by the finishing department for the 
making up of suspenders from the webbing. Their revenue 
tax during the same year was $42,209. The number of 
hands to whom regular employment is given is 300 
in addition to which about one thousand families are 
engaged, more or less in stitching suspenders. 

In the spring of 1859, Mr. Williston commenced the 
erection of a building for the manufacture of cotton yarn, 
partly for the supply of the Nashawannuck Co. The 
location was about three fourths of a mile from the other 
factories in a northerly direction, on the same stream, 
where for many years a saw mill had stood. 

The ground was very rough and uneven, and a large 
amount of grading was required to be done before the 
foundation could be laid. When this had been partially 
done, and work upon the foundation was progressing, an 
unexpected obstacle presented itself in the shape of a boil- 
ing spring. This threw out large quantities of v/ater, and 
for a time seemed to defy all efforts to lay a solid founda- 
tion, and to build a dam. At last this difficulty seemed to 
have been overcome, and work on the building went for- 
ward. In about a year from its beginning it was finished, 
and work commenced. 

But this spring, and the surrounding bed of quicksand, 
were destined to give still further trouble. In consequence 
of these, the water in the pond undermined the dam, and 
carried it off, together with a part of the factory. This 
took place shortly after its completion. Thus, not only 
was a heavy loss incurred, but work in the mill was delayed 
several months. Mr. Williston, however, set resolutely 
about repairing the breach, which he completed by winter. 
This time, no attempt was made to build a dam in the old 
place, but it was constructed a short distance further up 



62 HISTORY OF BA8THAMPT0N. 

the stream, and the water brought to the mill in a canal. 
It seemed now that this arrangement might be permanent ; 
but here again they were doomed to disappointment. In 
March, 1863, the water burst through the bank of the 
canal, near the trunk which conveyed the water to the 
water wheel. It tore away the road, and did considerable 
damage. One engine was already in the mill, and another 
was immediately obtained, so that operations in the mill 
were only suspended for a few days. Repairs on the dam, 
which was at this time rebuilt in its original place, occupied 
four or five months. 

Before this event, the cost of the establishment, including 
tenements, water privileges, &c., was upwards of $100,000. 
Since that time, the capacity of the mill has been more 
than doubled by large additions. It has eleven thousand 
spindles, and gives employment to more than 175 
hands. The quantity of cotton consumed annually is 
about 550,000 pounds, and the capital invested, $250,000. 
The yarn spun is of the finest quality, equal to the 
best English. It is twisted under water. The mill, 
taken as a whole, is one of the best of its kind in America, 
probably the only one in the state. The machinery is of 
the most approved patents. Quite a village has sprung 
up about the mill, where, a few years ago, were no houses. 
About fifty tenements are owned by the company, which 
consists of S. Williston, J. Sutherland, andM. H. Leonard. 

Their increasing business demanded the erection of a 
new factory, preparations for which were begun in the 
summer of 1865. On the 15th of August, the first stone 
of the foundation was laid, and in four months the walls 
were up, and the building covered. It is 200 by 68 feet, 
and is four stories high, besides an attic. It is the largest 
building in town, and its capacity is 18,000 spindles, 
and will give employment to about 200 hands. The 



MANUFACTURES. 63 

estimated production of the new mill, when in full operation, 
is about the same in quantity as in the other, though the 
yarn and thread made is to be finer than in that. The 
working capital of the company, including the factories, 
tenements, machinery, land, &c., when the whole* estab- 
lishment is complete, will be between $700,000 and 
and $800,000. 

In 1861, the Goodyear Elastic Fabric Co. was formed, 
whose principal business was the manufacture of elastic 
cloth, to be used in shoes. They leased the mill, originally 
occupied by Williston, Knight & Co., and carried on their 
operations there until recently, when they sold out to the 
Glendale Manufacturing Company. 

In 1862, a company, consisting of H. G. Knight and 
E. H. Sawyer, of Easthampton, and Wm. and C. G. Judson, 
of New York, was organized under the title of the Glendale 
Vulcanized Rubber Co., with a capital of $50,000. Their 
business was the manufacture of elastic cord, frills, &c., 
which they commenced at Glendale, on the Manhan river, 
in the western portion of the town. They enlarged and 
occupied a building which had been erected by Gregory 
& Wells, for the manufacture of twine and batting. 

In 1864, a large brick factory was erected near the rail- 
road depot in Easthampton, by the Rubber Thread Co., 
the two upper stories of which the Glendale Co. rented, 
and now occupy. In April, 1865, the capital of this com- 
pany was increased to $100^000, and in June of the same 
year, to $250,000, at which time they bought out the 
Goodyear Elastic Fabric Co. They now employ about 
350 hands, and consume stock at the rate of about 
8250,000 per annum. They manufacture elastic cloth 
for shoes, all kinds of elastic cord, frills, &c. They 
now occupy four mills with the exception of the lower 
story of one of them. Their business is rapidly in- 



64 HISTOEY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

creasing, and quite likely will soon call for a further in- 
crease of capital. The President of this company is C. G. 
Judson, of New York, and its Treasurer, J. S. Lovering, 
of Boston. Both the Glendale and the Nashawannuck 
companies now obtain their rubber from the Easthampton 
Rubber-Thread Co., which was formed in the fall of 1863, 
with H. G. Knight as its President, and Seth Warner 
Treasurer and general Agent. Its capital is 8100,000. 
They carry on work in the lower story of the factory 
erected by them, employ about twenty hands, and supply 
nearly all the manufacturers in the country, who employ 
rubber thread in their business. The amount of rubber 
consumed during the last six months has been about 
100,000 pounds. 

Mention should be made of the Gas Co., which was 
organized September 7, 186-^, with a capital of $20,000. 
On the 23d of April, 1866, it was increased to $30,000. 
E. Ferry is President of the company, and Horace L. 
Clark, Treasurer. 

Thus, in less than twenty years from the erection of the 
first factory by Mr. Williston, a manufacturing interest has 
grown up here, which employs, or will probably soon 
employ, $1,600,000 capital, and which paid during the 
year 1865, not less than $100,000 revenue tax. By the 
census of May, 1865, it appears that the manufactuiing 
concerns in the town, employed $850,000 capital, con- 
sumed stock annually to the value of $1,247,000, and pro- 
duced goods to the value of $1,675,000. The increase of 
capital since that time, will be attended by an increase of 
consumption and production, though, perhaps, not in a 
full ratio of that increase. These amounts appear some- 
what larger than they otherwise would, from the fact th'c.t 
a portion of what is given as manufactured product hj 
of the companies, appears as stock consumed by two 



MANUFACTURES. 65 

The figures are, of course, further enhanced by the present 
high prices ; but the quantity of stock consumed, and of 
goods produced, will, no doubt, go on increasing with the 
material growth of our country. 

As intimately connected with the manufacturing interest 
we may with propriety notice here the First National Bank 
of Easthampton, which was organized April 29, 1864, with 
a capital of $150,000. Mr. VVilliston has held the office 
of President, and Mr. Knight that of Vice President since 
its organization. E. A. Hubbard was the first Cashier, a 
position which he resigned on his appointment as superin- 
tendent of the public schools in Springfield. Chas. E. 
Williams is at present its Cashier. 

There is another enterprise, which, though not strictly 
connected with manufactures, may yet be mentioned here 
as properly as anywhere. 

Upon the south end of Mount Tom there are two 
springs, which discharge daily between six and ten thou- 
sand gallons of exceedingly pure cold water. It is proposed 
to bring this water into the village, both for the use of 
families and travellers, and to furnish protection against 
fires. The springs have been purchased, and preliminary 
surveys have been made by which it has been found that 
they are at an elevation of about seventy feet above the 
plain on which the churches and other public buildings 
stand. This elevation would carry the water about to the 
height of the face of the clock on the Payson Church, and 
furnish abundant head for the distribution of the water all 
over the village to any required height. The matter is in 
the hands of energetic men, and this desirable work will no 
doubt be soon accomplished. 



CHAPTER VI. 

OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 
AGBICULTTJRE. 

Agriculture has, until recently, been the employment of 
a large majority of the inhabitants of the town, and an 
occupation so conducive to health and morality has not 
been without its good effect on the character of the people. 
Nature has not perhaps favored us more highly than other 
portions of our own New England ; her gifts have not 
fallen here in greater profusion than in some other parts of 
our state ; our soil has none of the bountiful fertility of 
the western prairies, or the sunny south ; but the native 
energy of the New England character, combined with im- 
proved methods of culture, have in some measure compen- 
sated for this deficiency. Though the farming population 
here, as elsewhere, cannot boast of such rapid accumulation 
of wealth, as many engaged in other occupations, yet, 
when once acquired, it is not so uncertain as theirs, nor so 
much affected by those changes in government and trade, 
which occasion fluctuations in the mercantile and commer- 
cial world. The improvement in farming implements has 
been steady and constant. Where in the days of our ear- 
ly fathers, we saw the huge, unwieldy, inefficient wooden 
plough, requiring an expenditure of considerable force to 
draw it, when not impeded by the soil, now we see the 



OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 67 

most improved patterns of light, easy draught, and skill- 
fully adapted for lightening the soil. Mowing machines 
are coming almost universally into use. The sickle has 
long ago been superseded by the cradle, and that in turn 
may give place to the reaper. Through the agency of 
machines, horse-power is being substituted for that of the 
hand. The old wasting systems of culture are giving way 
to more economical ones, and products which were once 
considered useless, are now turned to valuable account. 

While our fathers appear thus at a disadvantage by com- 
parison, we must bear in mind, that in the main, it was their 
misfortune and not their fault. Manufactures had scarcely 
sprung into existence, and necessity compelled them some- 
times to provide implements for themselves as best they 
could. They did not at first fully realize the importance 
of enriching the soil ; their principal care had been to 
clear up lands and prepare them for tillage. Gradually, 
however, they began to see that those elements must be 
returned to the soil which the plants abstracted from it. 
Soils which had hitherto produced good crops of wheat, 
were now found to be capable, of yielding only rye, and 
lands on which the grass had grown spontaneously, became 
less productive, and needed re-seeding. Two products, 
wheat and flax, which have been cultivated quite exten- 
sively, have almost ceased to be raised. The lands seem 
better suited for other grains than for wheat, while the 
cultivation of flax has gone entirely into disuse. With 
the former cheap prices of cotton, and the immense facili- 
ties for the manufacture of cloth, flax, and the hand-looms 
of fifty years ago, were ruled out of existence. 

Potatoes were not formerly cultivated to any extent. In 
1744, Benjamin Lyman raised six bushels of potatoes, and 
it was a topic of remark all over Northampton. People 
wondered what he could do with so many potatoes. 



68 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Fruit has not received that attention which its impor- 
tance demands, yet we are happy to record the fact, that 
lately there has been an improvement in this respect. 
"Within a few years a large number of apple-trees have 
been planted, while the pear and the grape are receiving 
more attention. 

In February, 1858, the Easthampton Farmers' Club was 
organized to promote the interests of the farming commu- 
nity, by the holding of meetings, and interchange of views 
and experiences. The meetings of the society have since 
been attended by many, with much interest and profit. 
Several exhibitions of fruit, vegetables, and stock have 
been held, which were very successful, and reflected great 
credit upon the members. We hope that in the future, 
as in the past, the association may be the means of stimu- 
lating its members to carry the department of agriculture 
to a still higher degree of perfection. 

Rev. Luther Wright, C. B. Johnson, Esq., Ahira Lyman, 
and Quartus P. Lyman, have successively held the office 
of President of the Club, and Ansel B. Lyman, Henry Ly- 
man, Daniel W. Lyman, and James H. Lyman, that of 
Secretary. 

The following statistics, taken from the census of 1865> 
will be interesting : — 

The number of farms of five acres and upwards is 135, 
containing 5,828 acres, of which 3,524 are improved. The 
total value of the farms, including buildings, is $385,550. 
The total value of the agricultural products is $123,000. 
The number of persons employed in farming, 177. The 
principal farm products are corn, of which there were 
raised 7,447 bushels ; rye, 3,255; oats, 2,217; potatoes, 
9,889; tobacco, 136,946 pounds; hay, 1,162 tons. Val- 
ue of horses, $25,899; cattle, $8,080; cows, $13,060. 
Butter and milk, $5,608. Pounds of dressed meat, 149,- 



OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 69 

028. The value of the tobacco crop, we are sorry to say^ 
exceeds that of any other. We sincerely hope the day 
may not be distant when our most fertile lands may be 
devoted to the production of some crop useful rather than 
deleterious to man. 

THB MERCANTILE INTEREST. 

One of the first, if not the first store in town, was kept 
by Joseph Clapp, Jr. He commenced trading in 1792, in 
his house, nearly opposite the store of A. J. Lyman, on 
Main street. He was a brother of'Dea. Thaddeus, son of 
Capt. Joseph, and grandson of Maj. Jonathan Clapp. He 
married Susannah, daughter of Timothy Lyman, of Ches- 
ter. On the day of his marriage, Mr. Lyman said to him, 
"You are now going to trading ; the maxim of the world 
seems to be, trade so that you can live by it ; my advice is, 
trade so that you can die by it." If this advice were fol- 
lowed by all, whether engaged in mercantile or other em- 
ployments, there would be much less reason for distrust in 
business circles, and greater stability in financial affairs. 

In a few years Mr. Clapp erected a building for his ac- 
commodation, on the top of " meeting-house hill," where 
the hotel now stands. He was for a time one of the most 
influential men in town, and filled the office of town clerk 
longer than any other man, with one exception. 

After his retirement, Bohan Clark kept' a store in the 
same building. He was an enterprising man, and accu- 
mulated considerable property. For a time he owned and 
carried on the grist-mill, and also a share in the saw-mill, 
lately owned by Edwin S. Janes, which was torn down to 
give place to the cotton mill of S. Williston & Co. He 
finally went to Northampton and engaged in business. 

He was succeeded in business by Eldad Smith, a young 
man of good moral and religious principles. He was one 
6* 



70 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

of those who were engaged in the establishment of the 
Sabbath school here. About 1821 he sold out and remov- 
ed to Granby. After this the business was carried on 
successively by Baxter Burnell and William R. Gillett, 

In 1841 the building was sold out and removeu to Union 
street, where it was remodeled and enlarged, and since 
that time it has been used as the seminary boarding house. 
In the early part of the present century, Asahel Janes, 
and after him Obadiah Janes, kept store in the house for- 
merly occupied by Capt. Ferry, near the hotel. He, in 
common with his cotemporaries, kept and sold ardent 
spirits. This traffic was not considered disreputable in 
those days. It was countenanced by men of the highest 
standing in society. Public opinion had not been aroused 
to a sense of the baleful eflfects of spirituous liquors 
upon the whole man, physical, intellectual, and moral. 

The universality of the use of these liquors in those 
days astonishes us. Although the people of this town 
were not uncommonly addicted to their use, yet, then, if a 
person went to a raising, a husking, or an apple paring ; if 
he chanced to step into a neighbor's as a hog was being 
weighed, or anything unusual being done ; at every quilt- 
ing party, wedding, or even funeral ; in short, everywhere 
that neighbors- or friends met together, they were treated 
with spirits in some of its various forms. We have reli- 
able authority for saying that at that time not less than 
twenty-£ve hogsheads of spirifcuous^ liquors were retailed 
annually in the town. In one year there was manufactured 
more than a hundred' barrels of cider brandy. There were 
four distilleries here and as many as six cider mills. Sure- 
ly no one familiar with these fa^ts, can say with sincerity, 
that there is as much liquor drank now as then though 
not so openly. 

We rejoice to see that a deeper interest is at present 



OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 71 

manifested in this important subject, and that more earnest 
eflforts are being put forth by the friends of temperance, 
to stem the increasing tide which has threatened, or we 
may say, even now does threaten to engulf us in its desola- 
ting waves. In order that these efforts may have their ful- 
lest degree of efficiency they must be as persistent and un- 
remitted as this depraved appetite of man is constant. 
We shall have great hope of the glorious temperance cause 
when every little child is taught to avoid the evil, to pass 
by it, to turn from it and pass away ; when they are led to 
the altpr, like the Carthagenian Hannibal, and made to 
swear eternal enmity to King Alcohol ; when they are 
taught by precept and example at every step of their prog- 
ress from infancy to manhood, to shun it entirely, in all its 
forms, as they would the venomous cobra or the deadly 
upas tree. Till then we almost despair of any radical and 
lasting reform. 

The building in which a store was kept by Obadiah 
Janes, was afterwards occupied by Ebenezer Ferry, who 
commenced store-keeping in 1843, at which time he 
received the appointment of postmaster. In 1850 his in- 
creasing business demanded more ample accommodations, 
and he accordingly hired a room in Knight's block, which 
had just been erected. He has occupied this place until 
his recent retirement, when he was succeeded by F. H. 
Putnam. Capt. Ferry is a native of the town, and has 
been in public business considerable ; was town clerk for 
twenty-one years, and has been justice of the peace for a 
long time. 

In 1835, Mr. Williston opened a store near his residence, 
more particularly for the purpose of paying his employ- 
ees, although he sold goods to other people. For several 
years H. G. Knight was employed by Mr. Williston as a 
clerk. In this capacity he so won the esteem and confi- 



72 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

dence of his employer, that, at the age of eighteen, and 
after, he was entrusted with the purchase of goods, and 
soon came to manage nearly all the affairs of the firm, 
whose sales were considerable, in some years amounting 
to $40,000. In 1842 or '3, Mr. Williston sold out to Mr. 
Knight and E. L. Snow, who carried on the business two 
years, when the copartnership was dissolved and the busi- 
ness closed, and the building used several years as a ware- 
house ; but on the transfer of the 'button works in 1848, 
it was moved to a location near the factory. 

At this time,. the firm of John H. Wells & Co. was 
formed. With Mr. Wells were connected, as special 
partners, Mr. Williston and Mr. Knight. Mr. Williston 
retained an interest in the concern till 1858, when he sold 
out and Odel Gregory became a partner, and the business 
was conducted by the firm of Gregory & Wells, until the 
death of Mr. Gregory, since which time it has been carried 
on under the old name of John H. Wells &r Co. 

In 1830, Luther Clapp erecteda building just north of 
Manhan river, on the banks of the old Farmington canal. 
This he used for a. store ten^ years, when he sold out to 
Harris Bartholomew, who retained the place till 1850, 
when he removed to Northampton. 

In May, 1855, John Mayher opened a tin shop in the 
place. That business- had been started here by Miletus 
Parsons, but? he died shortly after, and was succeeded by 
S. W. Lee, Jr., who however continued, here only one 
year. Since Mr. Mayher came here his^ business has stead- 
ily increased, so that it is now perhaps larger than that of 
any other similar establishment in the county, if we 
except the trade in stoves-. He is now engaged in the 
manufacture of an improved oil can, patented by himself, 
and which has given good satisfaction vz-herever used. He 
gives constant employment to nine hands, and does qiiite a 
large business in the course of a year. 



OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 73 

The mercantile business of the town is now done by R. 
M. & J. E. Lambie, dry goods ; Winslow & Ward, drug 
store ; John H. Wells & Co., and A. J. Lyman , dealers in 
dry goods, groceries, hardware, crockery, etc.; F. H. 
Putnam, dealer in groceries, medicines, books, stationery, 
etc.; John Mayher, plumber and stove dealer ; L. Preston, 
D. Machol, and J. E. Miller, merchant tailors ; Rust & 
Marsh, dry goods, ready made clothing, groceries, crockery, 
etc.; C. W. Langdon, Arlow Hannum& Son, and Stratton 
& Parsons, groceries and provisions ; C. H. Chapman, 
watchmaker and dealer in jewelry; B. W. Hutchinson, 
boots and shoes ; Hawkins & Kent, millinery and dress 
goods ; Misses Thrall, millinery ; D. S. Jepson, flour, meal, 
and feed ; R. E. Strong, toys, confectionery, etc. 

MILLS, TRADES, &C. 

First and foremost among these is the saw and planing 
mill, until recently owned and carried on by the late L. P. 
Lyman. His business in lumber has been probably quite 
as extensive as that of any other man in the county. His 
lumber has, most of it, been used in the town, yet such 
has been the dem.and for building materials within the last 
few years, that large quantities, both of lumber and brick, 
have been brought from other places. His mill stands on 
the Manhan, near the center of the town. Upon the op- 
posite side of the river, and drawing their supply of water 
from the same pond, stands a tannery belonging to Hora- 
tio Shoals, and a flouring mill owned by Edward Clapp 
and the heirs of L. P. Lyman, where a good business is 
carried on. 

With this mill is connected quite a history. 

" In 1676-7, Northampton gave Samuel Bartlett liber- 
ty to set up a corn mill upon Manhan river, below the cart- 
way, 3n the falls of the river." He probably soon after 



74 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

built it. In 1705, he gave it to his son, Joseph Bartlett, 
who took charge of it till his death, which occurred in 
1755. He, having no children, gave it to his nephew, 
Jonathan Clapp, who lived with him. He also carried it 
on till his death, when it fell into the hands of two of his 
three sons, Jonathan and Joseph. About 1810, the for- 
mer sold out his interest in the concern to Joseph Clapp, 
Jr., the store-keeper. The latter gave his interest to his 
sons. On the failure of Joseph Clapp, Jr., Bohan Clark 
came into possession of his share, and carried it on in com- 
pany with the other partners, until about the year 1815, 
when Ahira Toyman purchased his interest. It was owned 
by Messrs. Clapp and Lyman, till their death, when it fell 
into the hands of their sons, who have since owned it. It 
has been rebuilt twice since its erection by Samuel Bart- 
lett. It will be noticed as somewhat remarkable, that for 
more than one hundred and seventy-five years the owner- 
ship of the mill has continued in the same family. In the 
aggregate, an immense amount of grain has there been 
ground. 

In 1803, a company consisting of Jonathan Strong and 
brother, Jonathan Bartlett, John Phelps, and Simeon 
Clark, built a saw-mill on Saw-mill brook, about a mile 
above its junction with the Manhan. For fifty years, 
without much interruption, it was worked, but in the spring 
of 1854, during the time of the famous "Nebraska Del- 
uge," the dam was carried off, and has never been rebuilt. 
The saw-mill standing where the cotton mill of S. Willis- 
ton & Co. now stands, built in 1797 by Bohan Clark, has 
before been alluded to. There have been two saw-mills 
on Broad brook, in the south-east part of the town, one of 
which still stands, owned by Benjamin Strong. The other 
was owned by Stephen Hendrick. 

Caleb Loud of Loudville, owns a saw-mill in the north" 



OTHER INDUSTRIAL INTERESTS. 75 

west part of the town, and near it is situated the grist- 
mill of Franklin Strong, at which a good flouring busi- 
ness is done. Another saw-mill in the south part of the 
town is owned by Alva Coleman. 

There are three meat markets in town at present, 
owned by W. H. Avery, E. H. Ludden and A. S. Ludden. 
The following facts appear from the census of 1865. The 
number of pounds of dressed beef, 102,251. The num- 
ber of feet of lumber prepared for market is 915,000. The 
two flouring mills report the number of bushels of grain 
ground during the year at 25,000. There are two naster 
builders in this place, E. R. Bosworth and T. J. Pomeroy, 
who employ 39 hands. The number of buildings erected 
in the year previous to the taking of the census was 
twenty, whose value was $107,000. This, however, does 
not include all the buildings put up in the place during the 
year, nor nearly all the men thus employed. 

The business of steam and gas fitting is carried on by 
Geo. L. Manchester, dealer in steam, gas and water pipe, 
and fittings of all descriptions. Mr. Manchester settled 
here about three years since, and the large amount of 
building which has been done has given him a good 
business. 

Oliver N. Clark and. Ralph Smith are established here 
as carriage makers ; Erwin Robinson, and L. O. Toogood, 
as painters and glaziers ; Edward R. Smith as a photo- 
graphic artist ; George P. Shoals and Wm. E. Toplifi" as 
masons ; J. E. Janes, as market gardener ; R. Golden- 
blum, Dennis Lyman, T. Colgan, and G. Friday, as shoe- 
makers ; and James Connell, Edward Reed, and Wm. 
Parlow as blacksmiths. Wm. R. Searle has recently open- 
ed coflfin warerooms, and is prepared to furnish anything 
which is needed from an undertaker. 

There are three livery stables in town, kept by D. S. 
Jepson, Hiram Knapp, and Edwin E. Janes. 



CHAPTER VII. 

PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 
PHYSICIANS. 

The number of physicians who have practised in East- 
hampton, is not large. Rarely, if ever, until within a few 
years, has there been more than one at a time. The pop- 
ulation was small, and general health has prevailed. 

Dr. David Phelps commenced the practice of medicine 
here about 1780, and remained six or eight years. 

Dr. Hophni Clapp, a native of Southampton, studied 
medicine with Dr. Woodbridge of that town, and came 
hereabout 1790. His medical reputation was good. He 
interested himself considerably in town affairs, and was 
honored with several offices of trust. His life was spent 
in Easthampton. 

Doctors Hall, Munson, and Edson, were here for a short 
time. 

Dr. Zalmon Mallory, a native of Montgomery, settled 
here not far from 1815. He acquired an extensive prac- 
tice, and, during hrs >stay in the town which lasted twenty 
years, he endeared himself to the people, by his sympathy 
and considerate attention. In his feelings, he was uncom- 
monly ardent, but they seldom led him to the performance 
of injudicious acts. He took a warm interest in the com- 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 77 

mon schools, and was for some years a member of the 
general committee. He was always very upright, and 
cherished a high regard for the institutions of religion, 
so much so that, unless circumstances absolutely demanded 
it, he would not call upon patients during the services of 
the Sabbath. But it was not until 1831 that he professed 
an interest in Christ. From that time he was a very 
active and exemplary member of the church. In 1835 he 
removed to Michigan, where he died. 

In the same year, Dr. Atherton Clark commenced the 
practice of medicine here. For many years he was the 
only physician in the place, and won the esteem and conn- 
dence of the community. He was considered a very suc- 
cessful practitioner, and enjoyed a high reputation among 
the members of the medical fraternity, for a thorough 
knowledge of the science. 

Dr. Solomon Chapman, Dr. Addison S. Peck, Dr. Thonv 
as Henderson, and Dr. Barker, each practiced medicine 
here for some time. Dr. Chapman died here, and the 
others removed from the place. 

The physicians at present residing here are Dr. F. C. 
Greene, and Drs. Win^low & Ward. 

Dr. Greene has enjoyed considerable opportunity for the 
practice of surgery, as well as medicine, having been con- 
nected, for a short time, with our army in the Mexican 
war, and more recently as army surgeon, he served in 
Virginia and Louisiana, during a period of two years. 

Dr. Winslow, who has for several years enjoyed a wide 
practice in our community, has recently united with him- 
self Dr. Ward, who was for a time employed in the army 
as surgeon of the 38th Mass. Reg. He was afterwards 
appointed to the position of Medical Inspector, on the 
staff of Gen. Sheridan, in which capacity he served during 
the Shenandoah and closing Virginia campaigns. 
7 



78 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Dr. Winslow was formerly engaged in practi"^' in En- 
field, where he was succeeded by Dr. Ward. 

R. D. Brown, Thomas Bolton, A. E. Strong, R. E. 
Strong, and H. S. Bascom, have practised dentistry here, 
of whom the last two now reside in the place. 

CASUALTIES. 

One morning in January, 1780, Samuel Coleman and 
Ezekiel Wood went out hunting deer. By some means, 
they became separated, and, as it was a foggy day, objects 
could not be distinctly seen at a great distance. Pres- 
ently, Mr. Coleman noticed a rustling in the bushes not 
far from him, and supposing it to have been made by a 
deer, he fired at once. His feelings, when he discovered 
that his shot had taken deadly effect in the body of his 
friend, can better be imagined than described. Tnis event 
filled with mourning the heart of his young wife, thus 
suddenly bereft of her husband, and of an aged widowed 
mother, and sent a thrill of sorrow through the hearts of 
a sympathizing community. 

About the year 1790, Lucas, a little son of Lt. Asahel 
Clark was drowned, near where the cotton mill of Wil- 
liston &; Co. now stands. 

In April, 1798, Boh an Clark undertook to transport a 
lot of timber, from this place to South Hadley canal, on 
the river, for the frame of a store which he was about to 
erect. The water in the Connecticut was high, and he 
determined to avail himself of the opportunity thus pre- 
sented. The timber was lying at his saw-mill near 
where the cotton mill of S. Williston & Co. now stands. 
The water of the Connecticut backed up to his mill, and 
on this he rafted his timber, and set out with his brothers 
Eleazer and Asahel, together with two others, intending 
to guide the raft into the canal at the falls. But some- 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 79 

how, as they approached the canal, an unexpected current 
seized it, and hurried it forward to the dam, which had 
been thrown across the river to turn the water into the 
canal. The raft was carried over the dam uninjured, save 
by the detachment of a small portion, on which Mr. Bo- 
han Clark was standing. That remained upon the dam, 
and he instantly seized a spike pole, and held by main 
strength against the force of the current. The other per- 
sons escaped the first fall unharmed, but below a fearful 
fate awaited them, unless they could get to the shore. A 
large natural fiiU lay about two miles below, near where 
the dam now stands. Mr. Eleazer Clark was one of those 
cool, self-possessed persons, whom no danger can deprive 
of judgment, who always distinguish themselves in great 
emergencies. To get the raft to land seemed to him simp- 
ly impossible. He therefore determined to construct has- 
tily a smaller raft, on which they might reach the shore. 
This being accomplished, three of them stepped on it, and 
then the fourth, Mr. Asahel Clark. His weight caused 
the raft to sink about eighteen inches. Almost in despair 
he stepped back, and commenced the construction of a 
small raft for himself. When it was finished, he stepped 
upon it ; but he had approached so near the fall, that all 
his eff'crts were of no avail, and he was carried over the 
fall. For some time he survived the shock, but before 
any boat could come to his assistance, he became exhaust- 
ed and sank. The other three, by great exertion succeed- 
ed in reaching the shore in safety. Mr. Eleazer Clark, 
after seeing that eff'orts to save his brother Asahel were 
useless, turned his attention to the rescue of his brother 
Bohan, who was upon the dam, and for two terrible hours 
had maintained his position against the current, while no 
one came to his aid. By the well-directed efforts of his 
brother and others, he was removed from his perilous po- 



80 _ HISTOEY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

sition, and brought to shore. The very instant he left the 
detached portion of the raft, it was carried over the dam. 
The body of Mr. Asahel Clark, was not recovered for some 
time. He was 31 years old at the time of his death, and 
left a wife and two small children. 

In January, 1797, Moses Gouch and Joseph Davis were 
felling trees in a lot of woodland, on Manhan river, back 
of the house formerly owned by Solomon Ferry. While 
thus engaged, Mr. Gouch was struck by a limb of a falling 
tree, and instantly killed. 

In.January, 1817, while Eleazer Ring was superintend- 
ing the moving, of a building,. he received injuries which 
resulted in his death.. The floor of the house had been 
taken up, and while in the building, he missed his foot- 
hold and fell, and before the team could be stopped it had 
passed over his body. He survived but a few hours. 

In the year 1819, the owner of apiece of woodland, on 
the west side of Mt. Tom, not>far from its southern ex- 
tremity, had cut siji^ty cords of wood or more, and had 
piled it up compactly, intending to slide it down the 
mountain, in a road which he had prepared for the pur- 
pose. Of course an event of this kind, not being of com- 
mon occurrence, called together quite a company, espec- 
ially of boys, who after the wood had been slid down, 
went up to the top of the mountain, and commenced 
rolling down stones, before all had reached the summit. 
Cecil Brown, a boy of fourteen years of age, was the last 
to come up. One of his companions, who was a little in 
advance of him, called out to them to desist, saying 
thoughtlessly, " you have killed Cecil." In a short time 
they returned, and found him lying down, and apparently 
deadj, he having received a blow from a stone which frac- 
tured his skull. He however, revived, was trepanned, and 
lived many years ; but so severe was the shock that his 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 81 

mental powers were very much impaired, and his intellect 
permanently enfeebled. 

About the year 1826, Elijah Alvord, who lived in the 
east part of the town, started from home to walk to 
Northampton, on the Connecticut river, which was then 
frozen over. As he did not return at the time expected 
by his friends, search was instituted and it was found that 
he had broken through the ice and was drowned. 

In 1831, Samuel Knowlton, who lived in the east part 
of the town, was kicked by a horse which was feeding in 
the street, and received injuries in consequence of which 
he died. 

On the night of Dec. 15, 1835, an event occurred which 
filled the community with sadness. It was the death of 
Ocran Clapp, who perished in the snow. He had attended 
a public meeting that evening in the town hall^ v/hich 
stood near the recent site of the First Chui-ehi- Dftring 
the evening a snow storm of unusual violence had sprung 
up, attended with a severe and increasing degree of cold. 
He lived on the Northampton road where Ansel Bartlett 
now does, and, on leaving the hall, instead of taking the 
road home, by mistake he took the one leading east to- 
wards Pascommuck». He passed on until he arrived near 
where the cotton mill of S. Williston & Co. now stands, 
when probably having discovered his mistake, he turned 
about. When he had gone back some distance, he turned 
off into the lot, probably intending to cross to his resi- 
dence, which would save considerable. Instead, however, 
of turning towards home, he turned directly opposite, 
passed on Broad brook, where it appeared he had broken 
through the ice, and passed on the plain beyond. His age, 
sixty-five years, his bewilderment, and the wetting which 
he received at the brook, together rendered him unable to 
endure the stod-m and intense cold of the night. He was 
7* 



82 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

found dead the next morning, at no great distance from the 
brook. The light which he carried was observed by sev- 
eral, but no one thought strange of it, since people were 
then returning from the meeting. Some effort wa? made 
to find him on the evening before, but it was finally 
thought that he might have gone into some house, and 
search was given up. 

On the 11th of Oct. 1835, Ahira Lyman met with an 
accident which occasioned his death. He lived in the 
west part of the town, where Elijah Lyman nov/ resides. 
He was chopping wood in a ravine, at some distance from 
his house, and while thus engaged, accidentally stiuck the 
top of his foot with the axe, which passed through the 
foot,, and the sole of the shoe, and struck the log. He 
called for help but no one heard his cries, and he was com- 
pelled to crawl on his hands and knees nearly home. The 
great loss of blood weakened him very much, but the 
wound was skillfully dressed, and for a number of days 
there seemed to be a reasonable prospect of his recovery. 
The case however at length seemed to take an unfavora- 
blfe turn.. He sank very rapidly, and died on the 1st of 
Nov. 1835. 

In 1836, Charles Brown, adopted son of Obadiah Clark, 
was run over by a cart and killed. 

In November of the same year, Bela Hannum was found 
dead in the Manhan meadow, somewhere between the res- 
idence of Edwin Hannum and that of John Bosworth of 
Southampton. 

In May, 1842, a little child of Augustus Clapp was 
drowned in Manhan river, while returning from school, 
having accidentally fallen from the bridge which he was 
crossing. . 

On the 1st of August, 1844, Ichabod Wright, who re- 
sided on Park Hill, was found dead in his field, lying be- 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 83 

side a small brook, with his face in the water. There were 
no means by which the singular circumstances of his death 
could be satisfactorily accounted for. This event was 
deeply felt by all, since he was highly esteemed as a 
Christian man. 

In the summer of 1845, Stephen Wood, Jr. was killed 
by fallinf? from a load of hay upon a pitchfork. 

In May, 1848, the wife of Justus Lyman died in con- 
sequence of injuries received from a fall. 

In April, 1857, the community experienced a severe 
loss in the doath of Dea. Ithamar Clark. While attempt- 
ing to remove a heavy rock from its bed, a chain broke, 
and the rock, falling back, struck a lever, throwing it vi- 
olently against his head. His injuries were so great, that 
he survived only three days. At the time of his death, 
he was one of the deacons of the church, in which cap- 
acity he had acted for 24 years. He was a person of 
uncommonly sound judgment, unflinching integrity, and 
very conscientious. He early espoused the cause of tem- 
perance, and was always one of its firmest supporters. 
His attainments in piety were rare. He had drank deeply 
of the cup of affliction, and was ever ready, with a warm 
and generous sympathy, to comfort those who were called 
to mourning A blow so unexpected filled the hearts of 
his family and friends with sadness, and left a void in the 
church which was deeply felt. 

August 15, 1857, as Eli Taylor, a boy about fourteen 
years of age, was returning from his work, he was obliged 
to cross the railroad track, and in his haste or forgetfulness, 
attempted to cross while the cars were approaching with 
iinuRU"! speed. Just as he was in the act of jumping from 
the trick, as it appeared, he was struck by the en 'ne, and 
instantly killed. 

In December, 1858, Alvan Upson, a boy em- >yed in 



84 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

the button factory of Williston, Knight & Co., met with 
a severe, and as it proved, a fatal accident. While in the 
wheel-room, his foot accidentally slipped and became en- 
tangled in the gearing connected with the water wheel, and 
was torn or crushed entirely off. The leg was amputated 
twice before the arteries could be taken up, but it was 
skillfully dressed, and the hope was entertained that he 
would recover with only the loss of a limb. On the sec- 
ond or third day, however, it commenced to bleed, and 
no surgical skill could save him. 

On the 6th of June, 1859, a little daughter of Lewis S. 
Clark was so severely burned, in consequence of the 
taking fire of her clothes, that she died. 

In the month of October, 1859, while the cotton mill of 
S. Williston was in process of erection, Issachar Ford, a 
carpenter employed upon the mill, received a fatal injury 
by the accidental falling of a stick of timber. He sur- 
vived only eleven hours. He had but recently removed to 
the place. The blow fell suddenly and heavily upon his 
family, who were thus deprived of husband and father, 
and awakened sorrow throughout the community. 

In September, 1864, H. Bodisco Chapman, whose home 
was here, was killed on the New Haven and Northampton 
railroad, in the town of Southwick. He was baggage 
master, but Avas at that time acting conductor of an excur- 
sion train. Having occasion to pass over the top of a car, 
while doing so, he was struck by a bridge which they 
were passing, and, as ie^ supposed, instantly killed. 

The recent death of Kdwai-d I. Allen, a student of Wil- 
liston Seminary, by drowning, is too fresh in the minds 
of all, to need rehearsal.. The sad event occurred while 
he was bathing, unasGompanied^ by any one. It occasion- 
ed a feeling of deep sadness in the Institution with which 
he was connected, and left his class to mourn the loss of 
one of their most promising members. 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 85 

L. P. Lyman, who died Aug. 7, 1865, received an in- 
jury on Jiis head, by the falling of a stick of timber at the 
raising of a house, which hastened, if it did not wholly 
cause his death. 

Jan. 27, 1865, the death of a little child of Rev. Mr. 
Jackson was caused by tipping a cup of scalding water 
into its bosom. 

On the 21st of April, 1866, William Whiting, a colored 
man, was struck by lightning, while on his way home from 
his place of labor. He was passing a large maple tree at 
the instant of the discharge, and a portion of the charge 
left the tree and entered his body, to all appearance kil- 
ling him instantly. He left a wife to mourn his loss. Ho 
had been in the place but a short time, having come from 
Washington about a month before his death. 

The town has not been wholly, though to a great de- 
gree, exempt from scenes of murderous violence. 

In 1780, Elisha Brown was killed by a person named 
Norton, in a fit of ungoverned passion, near the present 
location of the factories. A few years later, an Indian 
woman was killed just below the grist-mill, as it was 
supposed Ly her husband. 

These are believed to have been the only events of the 
kind, until 1865, when Jacob Kretz, a saloon keeper, re- 
ceived wounds resulting in his death, from a party of 
drunken persons, who forced an entrance into his house 
in the night, for the purpose of procuring liquor. 

When this chapter of casualties was commenced, we 
were not aware that there were so many instances of this 
kind ; but one after another has come to our knowledge, 
and perhaps even now the list is not complete. It is in- 
structive, as teaching us the dangers to which we arc 
exposed, and the great uncertainty of life. Surely death 
has all ways, as well as all seasons, for his own. 



86 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

"Verily 'his time there's none can tell,' nor yet his man- 
ner. He wearies out one with old age, and drags down 
another by disease. He surprises one in the labors of the 
field, and bewilders another in the highway he has often- 
est frequented, and lures him to the dreary waste to sink 
unattended and alone." 

This record extends over a period of eighty-six years. 
How many of those who now inhabit this town, who walk 
its streets, carry on its business, and cultivate its fields, 
whose faces are seen and whose voices are heard in our 
public places, or how many of those who will come after 
us, will, within a similar period, be called away by a sud- 
den and violent death, is to us all unknown. Equally un- 
certain is it, to whom the dread messenger will come. 
*' Let our souls be shielded in the faith of Christ, and our 
hopes folded around the throne of eternal mercy. Then 
will we grapple with death, and though we fall, we shall 
conquer the conqueror, and then lay ofi" our armor, and 
rest forever in the bosom of our God and our Father." 

CEMETERIES. 

The first burial place in Easthampton, was in Nasha- 
wannuck,and many of the early settlers in that part of 
the town were buried there ; but many years have passed 
since then, and they are nearly forgotten ; now but few 
can point to the place where they lie. It has been suppos- 
ed that the place could not be identified ; but there are a 
few who still remember the graves of their ancestors. The 
burial place is on an elevation, in a field belonging to 
Augustus Clapp, and about fifteen rods south-west from 
his house. 

Would it not be well for those of the present day, to 
rescue these ancient cemeteries from oblivion, and by en- 
closing them, and erecting a plain and simple, but suitable 



PHYSICIANS, CASUALTIES, CEMETERIES. 87 

monument, to show to posterity the last resting place of 
those daring, hardy ones, who braved the toils and dangers 
attendant upon the early settlement of our country ? 

Since that time, there have been three burial places occu- 
pied. The one first used in the center of the town, was 
opposite the place where Williston Seminary now stands. 
The land was originally owned by Benjamin Lyman, son 
of one of the purchasers of School meadow, and was prob- 
ably given by him to the town for a burying ground. 
One of his children was the first person deposited there. 

It is more than a hundred years since then, and, as the 
fathers and mothers of the town passed away one by one, 
here was their dust committed to earth, to rest until the 
resurrection morn. But the march of improvement dis- 
posed the present generation to devote it to other purposes. 
Hence, in the summer of 1865, the remains were re- 
moved to the grave-yard at present in use. 

Another burial ground is in Pascommuck. It was given 
by Eliakim Clark, and the first one buried there was a 
child of Jonathan Janes, in the year 1775. 

The other cemetery, situated about half a ra'le south of 
the churches, on the east side of Main street, was located 
in 1846. Mrs. Eunice S. Lyman, wife of Daniel F. Ly- 
man, was the first person buried there. The lot originally 
contained four and one-half acres. Since then it has 
been enlarged once, and it is proposed to enlarge it still 
further. Since it was first occupied, many have been laid 
to rest within its limits. 

Within these silent cities of the dead, are a multitude 
of all ages, of every condition in life, from the aged man 
of hoary hairs, to the infant of a few days ; the bride just 
entering upon her new duties, with fondest hopes and an- 
ticipations ; the strong man of business, cut down in the 
midst of life and health ; those who have lingered long on 



88 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

the verge of the grave; merry laughing childhood, and 
youth, buoyant with life and happiness ; all have been 
summoned by the messenger of death, and consigned to 
these silent tombs, there to await the sound of the arch- 
angel's trumpet, at the dawn of the eternal morning. 
And, as we gaze on the spot where they rest from their 
labors, may we learn the impressive lesson, that since 
death comes alike to all without distinction of age, rank, 
or condition, we ought to live in a state of constant 
preparation to obey its summons. 



CHAPTER VIII 



MISCELLANIES. 



THE LIBRARY ASSOCIATION. 

The earliest records of this society have not been pre- 
served. Hence we have no means of determining the pre- 
cise date of its formation. It is presumed to have been as 
early as the year 1792. About thirty persons became 
stockholders by the payment of two dollars. Their meet- 
ings for the transaction of business, and the exchange of 
books, were held at the house of some member. Rev. 
Payson Willis ton, was, for thirty -five years, its efficient 
librarian. He performed in the aggregate a large amount 
of ,. labor for the society, whose prosperity he regarded as 
of great importance. This association continued as a 
separate organization, through a period of fifty years, at 
the end of which time, it was united with the Youth's 
Library Association, a society which was formed in 1828. 
The object of this society, as stated in its constitution, 
was to excite in the minds of the youth a thirst for 
knowledge, to exalt and refine their intellectual and moral 
characters, by giving them access to such books as are of 
a moral tendency. Its members paid a fee of one dollar 
for membership, and an annual tax of twenty-five cents. 
Jan. 10, 1840, by a concurrent vote of the two societies, 
they were united under the name of the Easthampton 
Social Library Association. 
8 



90 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

In 1844, tlie library was moved to the town hall, where 
the members met quarterly for business and the drawing 
of books. In 1865, the constitution was revised, and it 
was provided that any person, not a stockholder, by the 
payment of fifty cents annually, could be allowed to take 
out books. The library was then removed to the store of 
L. Preston, who for several years took charge of it. We 
are sorry to say that very little interest is now felt in it. 

Should the town establish a public library, as is con- 
templated, this of course would supersede the necessity for 
the continuation of the Library Association. 

A choice collection of standard literature ought to be 
within reach of the people of the town. A library of re- 
liable, substantial works, liberally sustained, and thor- 
oughly read, would be of incalculable benefit, in correcting 
and cultivating the taste, and in improving the morals of 
the young. The books should of course be wisely se- 
lected, and every efi'ort made to induce young men to 
devote their leisure time to reading, rather than to spend 
it in places of public resort, which are the schools of a 
type of morality, at least questionable. 

PUBLIC HOUSES. 

The first public house within the limits of Easthamp- 
ton, was kept by Joseph Bartlett. It stood where stands 
the house formerly occupied by Dea. Thaddeus Clapp, a 
few rods north of Manhan river. Mr. Bartlett was li- 
censed in 1727, and for nearly twenty years he kept an 
open house for the public. It was quite a noted place in 
those days, and one of much resort. When there was 
preaching in the neighborhood, as there often was, it was 
at his house. Undoubtedly, many times, that eminent 
man of God, Rev. Jonathan Edwards, D. D., proclaimed 
there those truths and those doctrines for which he was 



MISCELLANIES. 91 

distinguished, and which were so wonderfully blessed in 
the conversion of thousands. A large part of the town 
belonged to his parish, and it is a fact not generally known 
that that great revival in 1734 commenced in Pascom- 
muck — a revival which, in its progress and development, 
became the wonder of many in this country and in Great 
Britain. 

Probably about 1750, Major. Jonathan Clapp, a nephew 
of landlord Bartlett, commenced to keep tavern where 
Ansel Bartlett now resides. The soldiers from South- 
ampton met here as they were about to start for Bunker 
Hill, in the days of the Revolution. Travelers passing 
between Connecticut and Vermont usually passed through 
this town, and quite frequently spent the night with 
Major Clapp. He continued in his business till his death, 
which occurred in 1782. He was a man of influence in 
the community, and many present residents of the town 
trace their genealogy back to him. He was a very 
shrewd business manager, and knew how to turn everything 
to good account. A story is told of him which illustrates 
this trait of character. 

Probably about the year 1760, what was long known 
as **The Great Crust," took place. A body of snow, 
some four feet in depth, fell, and immediately on its sur- 
face eight inches of hail, and then a slight rain, which 
froze and formed a solid crust. The fences, as if by 
magic, had disappeared.^ The roads were all blocked up 
so that there was no communication with market. On 
the morning after the crust was formed, he took out his 
horse upon it, and saw that it bore him up. In a very 
short time he was mounted and on his way to Hatfield, 
where he purchased a drove of cattle, and on the next morn- 
ing he was on his way to Boston, where he arrived in safety, 
the crust having borne him all the way. His drove was 



92 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

the first to enter the city after the fall of snow, and con- 
sequently he received a high price for his beef. The trip 
occupied a little more than a week, and he cleared £100 
or 8333. 

After his death, his son Jonathan opened a tavern, in a 
house which he built, across the road from his father's old 
stand. 

In 1793, Capt. Joseph, .another son, of Major Clapp, 
opened his house for the accommodation of good travelers, 
at the old stand of landlord Bartlett, where he continued 
to cater to the public until his death in 1797. He was 
succeeded by his son Luther, who for a period of fourteen 
years entertained the traveling public. Most of the travel 
from Hartford and New Haven to the north would pass 
through the town, and consequently he received a liberal 
patronage. 

After him, his place Vvas satisfactorily filled by his 
brother, Dea. Thaddeus. Persons whose business re- 
quired them to pass this way, often became so much 
attached to him, on account of his affability and the good 
fare which his table aflforded, that after his sign was 
taken down, and his house closed, whenever they had 
occasion to remain here, they insisted on stopping with 
him. Thus for a period of nearly or quite a hundred 
years, the only public house in town was kept by mem- 
bers of the same family, in succeeding generations. 

After they bad left it, for some time the town was 
without any hotel. The establishment of Williston 
Seminary here, in 1841, seemed to call for some place 
where strangers might be accommodated. Mr. Williston, 
therefore, erected the building at present in use for that 
purpose. Mr. Luther Clapp was the first landlord. Since 
he left it there have been frequent changes, no less than 
seven men having filled the place. It is now owned by the 



MISCELLANIES. 93 

Nashawannuck Manufacturing Co. A large addition, 
three stories in height, has recently been erected, and 
other improvements in the house and grounds have been 
made. It was closed for a time during these changes, but 
not long since it was re-opened to the public, and is now 
styled the Union House, of which George M. Fillibrowne 
is at present the landlord. 

POST OFFICE. 

Since the establishment of a post office in town in 
1821, there have been seven post-masters. The following 
are their names, and the year of their appointment : — 

Baxter Burnell, 1821. 

Wm. R. Gillett, 1823. 

Thaddeus Clapp, 1828. 

J. Emerson Lyman, 1840. 

Thaddeus Clapp, 1841.. 

Luther Clapp, 1843. 

Ebenezer Ferry, 1843. 

J. H Bardwell, 1861. 

The first two post-masters kept the office in a store 
which stood where the hotel now does. Dea. Thaddeus 
Clapp kept it in his tavern. Capt. Ferry kept it for the 
first few years in his store, in the house formerly occupied 
by him, but for the last fifteen years or more, it has been 
in Knight's block. When Dea. Clapp had the care of the 
office, its yearly avails were about, $75.00. In 1S60 
they were about $650.00. Now^ on the old plan of pay- 
ing a commission to postmasters instead, of a salary, the 
avails of the post office wonld be $1,500 or more. The 
number of letters- mailed during the year 1860 was 
32,133. The present rate is over 100,000 yearly, 
togeth'^r with a corresponding amount: of printed. matter.. 
8* 



94 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

POPULATION. 

When tbe district was incorporated, its population was 
small, being then only about 400. Since that time there 
has been an almost constant, though until recently not 
rapid, increase. Only once was there a diminution in 
the number of inhabitants, from the taking of one census 
to that of another. Between 1830 and 1840 there was a 
decrease of 28. The table shows the population at each 
census. 

1790,457; 1800,586; 1810,660; 1820,712; 1830, 
745; 1840, 717; 1850, 1,348; 1860, 1,928; 1865, 
2;869. The present number of inhabitants is one more 
than four times the number twenty-five years since. The 
gain in that time has been 2,152. It was during the 
interval between 1840 and '50, that the manufacturing 
interest of the place took its rise. Since that time, the 
material growth of the town has been very rapid. In- 
deed, we think it doubtful whether any other town in the 
country can exhibit a similar increase in any period of its 
history. 

INTERNAL REVENUE. 

The law enacted by Congress to provide internal reve- 
nue to meet the demands of the government, took effect 
Sept. 1, 1862, from which date the first tax was assessed, 
though at that time there was no Income Tax. This 
contained the names of 32 . persons and firms from 
Easthampton. 

There were 23 Licenses issued at that time. 

There were 8 Retail Dealers' Licenses. 

There were 4 Manufacturers' Licenses. 

First Income Tax, May.l, 1863. 
64 names of persons and firms from Easthampton. 
32 Licenses were issued. . 



ItflSCELLANIES. 95 

9 Retail Dealers. 

8 Manufacturers. 

29 Incomes assessed, amounting to $188,410. 

24 Carriages and Wagons, valued at $75 and upwards. 

Second Income Tax, May 1, 1864. 

68 names of persons and firms from Easthampton. 
41 Licenses. 

12 Retail Dealers. 

9 Manufacturers. 

28 Incomes, amounting to $255,129. 

26 Carriages and Wagons, valued at $75 and upwards... 

Third Income Tax, May 1, 1865. 

127 names of individuals and firms from Easthampton. 
89 Licenses. 
20 Retail Dealers. 
14 Manufacturers. 

79 Incomes, amounting to $419,607. 
63 Carriages and Wagons, valued at $50 and upwards. 
53 Gold Watches taxed. 

Fourth Income Tax, May 1, 1866. 

109 names of individuals and firms from Easthampton. 
75 Licenses. 

66 Carriages and Wagons, valued at $50 and upwards. 

67 Gold Watches. 

93 Incomes, amounting to $340,539. 

13 Manufacturers. 
18 Retail Dealers. 

The returns since May 1 of the current year, are incom- 
plete. The number of licenses to retail dealers, manufac- 
turers, and others, is not all in yet. 

Total Manufacturer's Tax, for the year ending April 
30, 1866, $100,919 32. 



96 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

These figures, kindly furnished us by the Assistant 
Assessor, indicate very clearly the increase of business 
in the town during the period which they cover, the 
numbers, in some cases, having more than trebled. 

The first Assistant Assessor was Levi Parsons, the 
exact date of whose appointment we have been unable to 
find. A re-appointment of his bears date Sept. 30, 1863. 
Failing health forbade him longer to continue in the 
ofiice, and LaFayette Clapp was appointed in his place, 
by President Johnson, June 6, 1865. He has continued 
in the office to the present time, having been re-appointed 
by the Secretary of the Treasury, June 14, 1866, On the 
14th of June, 1865, Mr. Clapp was appointed Inspector 
of Distilled Spirits, and on the 4th of October, 1865, 
Inspector of Tobacco, Snuff, and Cigars. Both these 
gentlemen have discharged the duties of their office with 
fidelity and acceptance. 

TOWN OFFICERS. 

Selectmen. 

1785 — Stephen Wright, Capt. P. Clark, Eleazer Hannum. 
1786 — Stephen Wright, Capt. P. Clark, Eleazer Hannum. 
1787 — Benjamin Lyman, Elijah Wright, Eleazer Hannum. 
1788 — Philip Clark, Elijah Wright, Eleazer Hannum. 
1789— Philip Clark, Elijah Wright, Eleazer Hannum. 
1790 — Lemuel Lyman, Joel Parsons, Noah Janes. 
1791 — Lemuel Lyman, Joel Parsons, Noah Janes. 
1792 — liemuel liyman, Joel Parsons, Aaron Clapp, jr. 
1793 — Lemuel Lyman, Joel Parsons, Oliver Clark. 
1794 — Eleazer Hannum, Noah Janes, Oliver Clark. 
1795 — Elijah Wright, Lemuel Lyman, Joel Parsons. 
1796 — Eleazer Wright, Noah Janes, Oliver Clark. 
1797 — Elijah Wright, Lemuel Lyman, Joseph Clapp, jr. 



MISCELLANIES. 97 

1798 — Noah Janes, Lemuel Lyman, Joel Parsons. 
1799 — David Lyman, Levi Clapp, Joel Parsons. 
1800 — Oliver Clark, Levi Clapp, Solomon Lyman. 
1801 — Oliver Clark, Joel Parsons, Solomon Lyman. 
1802— Oliver Clark, Uriel Clark, Levi Clapp. 
1803— Oliver Clark, Uriel Clark, Levi Clapp. 
1804 — Oliver Clark, Solomon Lyman, Justus Lyman. 
1805 — Oliver Clark, Solomon Lyman, Jonathan Janes, jr. 
1806 — Thaddeus Clapp, Sol. Lyman, Jonathan Janes, jr. 
1807 — Thaddeus Clapp, Oliver Clark, Justus Lyman. 
1808 — Jonathan Janes, jr., Oliver Clark, Justus Lyman. 
1809 — John Hannum, Thaddeus Parsons, Justus Lyman. 
1810 — John Hannum, Jonathan Janes, jr., Justus Lyman. 
1811 — John Hannum, Thaddeus Parsons, Justus Lyman. 
1812 — John Hannum, Thaddeus Clapp, Justus Lyman. 
1813 — Solomon Lyman, Thad. Parsons, Justus Lyman. 
1814 — John Hannum, Solomon Ferry, Justus Lyman. 
1815 — John Hannum, Solmon Ferry, Justus Lyman. 
1816 — John Hannum, Solomon Ferry, Justus Lyman. 
1817 — John Hannum, John Ludden, Seth Janes. 
1818 — John Hannum, John Ludden, Jonathan Janes. 
1819 — John Hannum, John Ludden, Jonathan Janes. 
1820 — John Hannum, John Ludden, Jonathan Janes. 
1821 — John Hannum, John Ludden, Jonathan Janes. 
1822 — John Ludden, Ocran Clapp, Julius Clark. 
1823 — John Ludden, Ocran Clapp, Julius Clark. 
1824 — John Ludden, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1825 — John Ludden, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1826 — John Ludden, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1827 — Levi Clapp, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1828 — Levi Clapp, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1829 — Levi Clapp, John Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1830 — John Ludden, John Hannum, Luke Janes. 
1831 — John Ludden, Daniel Lyman, Luke Janes. 



98 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

1832 — John Ludden, Daniel Lyman, Luke Janes. 
1833— John Hannum, Levi Clapp, Luke Janes. 
1834 — Luther Clark, Levi Clapp, John Ludden. 
1835— Luther Clark, Jason Janes, John Ludden. 
1836 — Luther Clark, Jason Janes, John Ludden. 
1837 — Luther Clark, Jason Janes, John Ludden. 
1838 — -Luke Janes, E. W. Hannum, John Ludden. 
1839 — L. P. Lyman, E. W. Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1840 — L. P. Lyman, E. W. Hannum, Luther Clark. 
1841 — E. W. Hannum, Augustus Clapp, Lorenzo Clapp,, 
1842 — E. W. Hannum, Zenas Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1843 — E. W. Hannum, Zenas Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1844 — Theodore Clapp, Zenas Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1845 — E. W. Hannum, Luther Clark, Theodore Clapp. 
1846 — E. W. Hannum, Luther Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1847 — E. W. Hannum, Luther Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1848 — Lemuel P. Lyman, Luther Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1849 — Lemuel P. Lyman, Luther Clark, Solomon Alvord. 
1850 — E. Ferry, Luke Janes, Solomon Alvord. 
1851 — E. Ferry, Luke Janes, H. G. Knight. 
1852 — E. W. Hannum, Luke Janes, H. G. Knight. 
1853 — E. W. Hannum, E. Ferry, Luther Clark. 
1854 — J. H. Lyman, E. Ferry, Luke Janes. 
1855 — L. F. Clapp, Q. P. Lyman, Ransloe Daniels. 
1856 — L. F. Clapp, Joseph Parsons, Solomon Alvord. 
1857 — E. W. Hannum, Joseph Parsons, L. P. Lyman. 
1858 — Alanson Clark, L. F. Clapp, E. H. Sawyer. 
1859 — Alanson Clark, L. F. Clapp, Levi Parsons. 
1860 — Alanson Clark, L. F. Clapp, Levi Parsons. 
1861 — Alanson Clark, Lewis S. Clark, Levi Parsons. 
1862 — Lewis S. Clark, Alanson Clark, Seth Warner, 

Lauren D. Lyman, Lewis Clapp. 
1863— Lauren D. Lyman, Seth Warner, E. S. Janes. 
1864 — Lauren D. Lyman, E. S. Janes, E. A. Hubbard. 



MISCELLANIES. 



99 



1865 — Edwin S. Janes, Lewis S. Clark, Joel Bassett. 
1866 — Joel L. Bassett, Ansel B. Lyman, Lewis S. Clark. 



Town Clerks. 




1785 — David Lyman, 


3 years 


1788— Jonathan Clapp, 


2 years 


l790_Josoph Clapp, jr. 




1797— Hophni Clapp, 


6 years 


1803— Obadiah Janes, 2d. 




1804 — Joseph Clapp, jr., 


1 1 years 


1808— Obadiah Janes, 2d, 


9 years 


1816— Isaac Clapp, 




1 8 1 7— Zalmon Mallory . 




1821 — Isaac Clapp, 


2 years 


1822— Zalmon Mallory, 


11 years 


1829— Samuel Wright, 


5 years 


1834— Ebenezer Ferry. 




1841 — Edwin Hannum, 


1 year. 


1842 — Ebenezer Ferry, 


20 years 


1855 — Lucius Preston, 


9 years 


1864— George S. Clark, 


1 year. 


1865 — Charles B. Johnson. 





School Committees. 

1826 — Samuel Williston, Zalmon Mallory, Samuel 
Wright, Solomon Clapp, Luther Clark, jr. 
1827 — Bev. P. Williston, Zalmon Mallory, Zenas Clark. 
1828— Rev. P. Williston, Theo. Wright, Ezekiel White. 
1829— Rev. P. Williston, Ezekiel White, Luther Clark, jr. 
1830— Rev. P. Williston, Zenas Clark, Chandler Ludden. 
1831 — Samuel Wright, Luther Clapp, Sidney Ferry. 
1832 — Sidney Ferry, Emelius Clapp, Gideon Matthews. 
1833 — Sam'l Williston, Wm. Hannum, Gideon Matthews. 
1834— Rev. P. Williston, Rev. Wm. Bement, Sidney Ferry. 



100 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

1835 — Sam'l Williston, Sidney Ferry, Samuel Wright. 
1836 — Sam'l Williston, Sam'l Wright, Rev. Wm. Bement. 

1837 Rev. Wm. Bement, Sam'l Williston, Sidney Ferry. ! 

1838 — Rev. Wm. Bement, Edwin Hannum, Ather'n Clark. 
1839 — Rev. Wm. Bement, Ather'n Clark, Edwin Hannum. 
1840— Edwin Hannum, Rev. Luther Wright, Luther 

Clark, jr. 
1841 — Rev. Wm. Bement,"* Rev. Luther Wright, Edwin 

Hannum. 
1842 — Edwin Hannum, Rev. Wm. Bement, E. Monroe 

Wright. 
1843 — Rev. Wm. Bement, Edwin Hannum, E. Monroe 

Wright. 
1844 — Eleazer Coleman, Rev. Solomon Lyman, Edwin 

Hannum. 
1845 — Edwin Hannum, Rev. Solomon Lyman, Eleazer 

Coleman. 
1846— David N. Smith, C. Mattoon Alvord, Edwin 

Hannum. 
1847 — Edwin Hannum, Rev. Wm. Bement, C. Mattoon 

Alvord. 
1848 — Rev. Wm. Bement, D. M. Kimball,' Edwin Hannum. 
1849 — LaFayette Clapp, Jas. H. Lyman, Edwin Hannum. 
1850 — L. F. Clapp, Jas. H. Lyman, Rev. Luther Wright. 
1851— Rev. R. S. Stone, L. F. Clapp, Rev. Luther Wright. 
1852 — Rev. R. S. Stone, Rev. Luther Wright, James H. 

Lyman. 
1853— E. A. Hubbard, Rev. A. M. Colton, Rev. Hervey 

Smidi. 
1854 — Rev. A. M. Colton, E. A. Hubbard, Rev. Hervey 

Smith. 
1855 — Rev. Hervey Smith, Edward Hitchcock, jr., L. F. 

Clapp. 
1856 — Lewis S. Clark, Lauren D. Lyman, Rev. Luther 

Wright. 



MISCELLANIES. 



101 



1857 — Rev. Luther Wright, Lewis S. Clark, Lauren D. 

Lyman. 
1858 — E. A. Hubbard, Rev. A. M. Colton, Rev. Luther 

Wright. 
1859— E. A. Hubbard, Rev. A. M. Colton, Rev. Luther 

Wright. 
I860— E. A. Hubbard, Rev. Luther Wright, H. G. Knight. 
1861— Rev. Luther Wright, H. G. Knight, E. A. Hubbard. 
1862— H. G. Knight, E. A. Hubbard, Rev. Luther Wright. 
1863— E. A. Hubbard, Rev. Luther Wright, H. G. Knight. 
1864— Rev. Luther Wright, H. G. Knight, E. A. Hubbard. 
1865— H. G. Knight, Russell M. Wright, Rev. Samuel 

Jackson. 
1866— Russell M. Wright, H. G. Knight, Seth Warner. 



REPRESENTATIVES IN GENERAL COURT. 



1810— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1811— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1812— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1813— P. Nichols. 
1814— P. Nichols. 
1815 — Capt. L. Lyman. 
1816— Capt. L. Lyman. 
1817 — John Hannum. 
1818 — John Hannum. 
1819 — Ahira Lyman. 
1820— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1821— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1822— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1823— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1824— Dea. T. Clapp. 
1825 — Ahira Lyman. 
1826— John Ludden. 
1827— John Ludden. 
9 



1828— John Ludden. 
1829 — John Ludden. 
1830 — Ocran Clapp. 
1831— Luther Clark. 
1832 — John Ludden. 
1833— ^Jason Janes. 
1834 — Jason Janes. 
1835-^Luther Clark, jr. 
1 836-- Luther Clark, jr. 
1837— Luther Clark, jr. 
1839— ^ John Ludden. 
1840— Samuel Williston. 
1843— E. W. Hannum. 
1844— E. M. Wright. 
1845— Zenas Clark. 
1848 — H. Bartholomew. 
1849— J. Wright, 2d. 
1850— John Wright. 



102 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

1851— H. G. Knight. 1859— LaFayette Clapp. 

1852— H. G. Knight. 1862— Eli A. Hubbard. 

1853— Lemuel P. Lyman. 1865 — E. H. Sawyer. 
1854— SethWarnet. 

The following persons have served as Justices of the 
Peace, the first of whom was commissioned in 1810 : 

Thaddeus Clapp. Lemuel P. Lyman. 

John Ludden. Luther Wright, jr. 

Luther Clark, jr. E. Waldo Lyman. 

Samuel Williston. Addison S, Peck. 

Ebenezer Ferry. Horatio G. Knight. 

William N. Clapp. Levi Parsons, 

Charles B. Johnson. George S. Clark. 

QUARTER CENTURY RETROSPECT. 

It will be interesting, at this time, to review the prog- 
ress of the town during the last quarter of a century. 
Let us glance back to the year 1840, and imagine ourselves 
passing through its streets, of which there ^were, then laid 
out, only those now known as Bridge, Main, Park, Union, 
and Pleasant Streets. Entering the town from the north, 
after we had crossed the bridge over Manhan river, we 
should come first to the house then occupied by L. P. 
Lyman, and the saw-mill opposite. Where now stands 
the hotel, would have been seen the building, since re- 
modeled, and used, at present, as the Seminary Boarding 
House. On the left stood the house now owned by E. 
R. Bosworth, then occupied by Rev. Wm. Bement, pastor 
of the church, and also, a little farther on, the house for- 
merly occupied by Rev. Luther Wright, but recently re- 
moved to give place to the First Church. On our right, 
we should pass the houses now owned by Capt. Miller and 
Dr. J. W. Winslow, in the latter of which lived Dr. 



MISCELLANIES. 103 

Atherton Clark. A little farther on, we should see, on 
our left, the First Church edifice, then newly erected, and, 
on our right, the old Town Hall, now used as a dwelling 
house by Edmund W. Clark. Passing the burying ground 
then in use, we should come to the blacksmith shop of 
Almon Chapman, standing where Knight's block now 
does, while directly opposite, on the present grounds be- 
longing to Williston Seminary, was his residence. A 
little farther on was the house of Elihu Lyman, where F. 
H. Pomeroy now lives, and, nearly opposite, the dwelling 
of Isaac Clapp. The next house which we should pass 
would be that of Dea. Solomon Lyman, and still further 
south that of Jeremiah Lyman, where his son Ansel B. 
now lives. Beyond this there were none, until we reach 
that now occupied by Mrs. Janes. If, instead of Main, 
we had taken Park street, the only residence would have 
been that of Mr. Williston, on the site of his present one, 
while across the way stood his store. If, instead of this, 
we had taken Union street, though it could hardly have 
been called a street, we should have found only one house, 
until we reached the Pascom.muck road running along the 
base of Mt. Tom. This stood at a little distance across 
the brook, where is now the Factory village. Soon after 
this the Seminary Boarding House and that of Almon 
Chapman were moved to their present location, and, for 
several years, these three were the only houses in that 
part of the town. 

Now, retracing our steps, let us pass the church, and 
take the road leading to Pascommuck, now called Pleas- 
ant street. On the corner, was the house now owned by 
Horace Matthews, and the one next to it was then occupied 
by Joel Parsons, Senior, since, however, owned by Lewis 
Ferry. Opposite to this stood that now owned by Lowell 
E. Janes, A little farther on we should reach the dwel- 



104 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

lings of Joel Parsons, Jr., and of Spencer Janes, where 
now E. S. Janes resides. Four other houses, those of 
Solomon Ferry, Theodore Lyman, and one a little to the 
west of his, together with one standing not far from where 
Arlow Hannum now lives, would bring us to the saw-mill 
of Spencer Janes, where now the cotton mill of S. Willis- 
ton 6z; Co. stands. 

Now let any one, bearing these statements in mind, 
pass, either in reality or imagination, along these streets 
and others since laid out, and observe the changes which 
a quarter century has witnessed, and he would be strik- 
ingly impressed with the progress of the town during that 
period. 

Then the only church in the place stood where it has 
since, until its recent removal. Luther Clapp kept store, 
between the river and canal, where L. F. Clapp now lives, 
and Mr. Williston had a store across the road from his 
residence. Almon Chapman carried on the blacksmith's 
business, as we have said, where Knight's block now 
stands, and Samuel Wright, supplied customers with fresh 
meat. The lumber and flouring business was in much 
the same hands as now, though in extent it has increased 
greatly. 

Since then, the Hotel, Parsonage adjoining, High 
School, Town Hall, and Knight's block of stores, and 
others in the place, have been put up. Williston Semina- 
ry has been established, and, with all its buildings, stands 
an ornament to the place. Two new churches have been 
organized, and church edifices erected. The extensive 
manufacturing interest, with its mills and villages, has all 
sprung up, and a portion of the town where was then but 
one house has become its most populous part. Many fine 
private residences have been erected, and everywhere we 
meet with marked evidences of growth. The railroad and 



MISCELLANIES. 105 

telegraph lines, and the lighting of the village ■with gas, 
are other great improvements. 

Then the population was 717. In May last it was 
2,869. With this advance in business and population, 
hao :ome a still greater advance in the valuation of prop- 
erty in the center. 

Inr-18;'8, H. G. Knight purchased a lot of land lying on 
Union street," u-^ embracing that now occupied by the Pay- 
son Church, and fhe .-^sidenc^'^c'- o^ H. J. Bly, D. S. Jep- 
son, John Mayher, and "Mrs. Miletus Parsons, Iwo acres 
in all, paying therefor $200 pet acre. £ix 3 865 a quarter 
acre lot adjoining this was sold for little more thau ^1000, 
or more than twenty times as much as was paid for thcT' 
same amount eighteen years ago by Mr. Knight. 

Another, and a sad evidence of the growth of the town, 
is to be seen in its cemetery. Laid out in 1846, the sur- 
face of the original portion is already dotted all over with 
marble slabs, which mark the last resting place of some 
loved one ; while one addition and another have been 
called for, as new families have removed hither. One by 
one they have been brought to tenant this city of the 
dead. One by one shall we who remain pass away, and 
our bodies be committed to earth. The time of our de- 
parture we know not, for " of the day and the hour 
knoweth no man." But, sooner or later, to each one it 
will come, and happy will it be for us if we be found in 
readiness, and watching for the summons. 

MISCELLANIES. 

Among the records of the old militia company of this 
town, under date of October 2d, 1827, after the usual 
record of the doings of the company, we find the follow- 
ing entry, which is very suggestive and interesting : " At 
the above training, the company voted unanimously that 
9* 



106 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

the officers should, on all occasions, abolish the practice of 
treating with ardent spirits. A noble resolution — let it be 
kept sacred." This may be considered to mark an era in 
the history of temperance reform. Hitherto, custom had 
required that the officers, at their election, and on other 
occasions, should treat the men under their command. It 
was a practice entirely pernicious in -/cs 'vorkiTigi:, and 
without any natural foundation, though^ in I'nose times 
and before, it was carried i^ito aim oRtr every department of 
life. Men at length T^egan to a\T'aken to a consideration 
of the wide sprottd e^iis of such a coarse, and hence arose 
the temperance reformation, a work most beneficent in its 
results and calculated, to secure to society incalculable 
blessings, if wisely persisted in. Of late years, however, 
an apathy on the subject seems to have taken possession 
of the minds of the friends of this reform, while its ene- 
mies are ever on the alert. Many professedly temperance 
men have fallen into the old habit of using and treating 
with the lighter liquors, as cider and domestic wines, and, 
as it seems to us, from precisely this source, has originated 
something of the alarming increase of intemperance in our 
communities. If we would withstand successfully this 
vice, whose desolating effects are but too plainly visible 
all around us, we must come up to the high ground of the 
old temperance reform, and persistently maintain its prin- 
ciple of total abstinence from everything that can intoxi- 
cate. 

An incident of interest, which has come to our notice, 
though known perhaps to some, is deserving of mention 
here. Rev. Luther Wright, on the day on which he 
reached the grand climacteric of life, (his sixty-third 
birth-day,) ate his thanksgiving dinner in the room in 
which he was born, with his father and mother beside 
him. A case of this kind, where so many circumstances 



MISCELLANIES. 107 

of interest cluster around a single event, rarely happens in 
any community. 

It is a fact, perhaps not generally known, that the elm 
which stands in the center of the park, where the original 
church edifice stood, is planted directly beneath the place 
occupied by the old pulpit. It was set out by Luther 
Wright, father of the one previously mentioned, not long 
after the building was taken down. 

The elm which stands nearly in front of the recent site 
of the First Church, was set. out when quite small, by 
Zadok Danks, then nearly ninety years of age, who ob- 
tained it somewhere in the Manhan meadows. This is an 
interesting circumstance, audit would not be inappropriate 
if the name of this public benefactor should be borne up 
in the tree which he planted. 

On the 14th of January, 1^56, Luther Wright and wife 
celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of their marriage. It 
was an occasion of unusual interest, and such an one as 
rarely occurs. Rev. Payson Williston who married them, 
and who survived the celebration only about two weeks, 
was present, as were also four others, .who attended the*" 
marriage sixty years before. 

DEED OF SCHOOL MEADOW. 

It may be interesting to many to know that the deed of 
School Meadow, which the town of Northampton gave to 
Stephen Wright and Benjamin Lyman, is still in exist- 
ence. Such is its connection with the early settlement of 
the town, as to justify the insertion of some portion of it 
here, particularly that part relating to the boundaries of 
the tract. It reads as follows : — 

" To all persons to whom these presents shall come, Greeting : — 
Know ye that we, John Stoddard, Ebenczer Pomroy, and Timothy 
Dwight, all of Northampton, in the County of Hampshire, in His 



108 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Majesty's province of Massachusetts Bay , in New England, a committee 
appointed by the town of Northampton to make sale of the seques- 
tered land that lies on both sides of the Manhand river, between the 
county road across said river, above Bartlett's mills, and the Pomroy 
land, for and in consideration of the sum of sixteen hundred and 
twenty-five pounds, in bills of Public Credit, Old Tenor, secured to 
the town of Northampton by Dea. Stephen Wright and Benjamin 
Lyman, both of Northampton, aforesaid, the receipt of which is 
hereby acknowledged, and in said capacity we, the said Stoddard, 
Pomroy, and Dwight, are fully contented and satisfied, do therefore 
acquit said Stephen Wright and Benjamin Lyman, of all dues and 
demands whatsoever, on account of said land excepting Public Se- 
curity, have, in the capacity aforesaid, given, granted, bargained, and 
sold, and by these presents do freely, fully, and absolutely give, grant, 
bargain, sell, convey, and confirm to them, the said Stephen Wright 
and Benjamin Lyman, and to their heirs and assigns forever, (viz.), 
one half to be his, the said Stephen Wright, to his heirs and assigns 
forever, and the other half to the said Benjamin Lyman, his heirs 
and assigns forever, the whole of the above mentioned tract or parcel 
of sequestered land which ' is more particularly bounded as follows, 
(viz.) : — It is land that was formerly sequestered by the town for the 
school, bounded eastwardly by the place where Filer's Brook former- 
ly emptied itself into Manhand river, and from thence it extends up 
Manhand river on both sides, as far westwardly as to land laid out to 
Thomas Dewey, on the north side of the river, now belonging to 
Eldad Pomroy. The upland on the north side of the meadow is to 
extend westwardly as far as to the home lot of Caleb Pomroy, de- 
ceased, bounded southerly by the brow of the hill on the south side of 
School Meadow, and northerly by the highway running west on the 
south side of the Long Division; extending westerly to Pomroy 's land, 
which highway is to remain from Filer's Brook, aforesaid, which, (or 
Saw-mill brook as it is sometimes called,) as it now runs to the top 
of the hill on the level land or plain,' and then to turn northerly to 
the highway on the south side of the Long Division," 

The remaining portion is very similar to what may be 
found in any deed at the present day, and contains no 
points of special interest. 

This instrument was executed on the 28th of May, 
1745, in the presence of Preserved Clapp, Nathaniel 
Dwight, and Timothy Dwight, Jr. 



CHAPTER IX. 



T^ CIVIL WAR. 



To write the history of the town, as it relates to the 
civil war so recently closed, is aduty both joyous and sad. 
We rejoice to speak of the patriotism of our citizens, of 
the heroic achievements and self sacrificing spirit of those 
who participated in it, and of the part, which we as a 
community, had in defending the institutions transmitted 
to us by our fathers ; but we are saddened, as we record 
the names and deeds and deaths of some of our noblest 
young men, who were possessed of sterling character, 
patriotic devotion, high and consistent regard for truth 
and right, and steadfast purpose to serve their day and 
generation wherever Providence might call them. Doubt- 
less He, who directs the affairs of men to the accomplish- 
ment of His own grand designs, knew how they could 
best subserve the object of their existence ; but as we 
recall their many virtues, and the promise of usefulness 
they gave, we cannot but mourn their early death. It is, 
moreover, a difficult task to weigh out equal justice to 
every one. Our desire is to deal fairly by all, and to 
speak of the service performed by each in different fields, 
without instituting any invidious comparison as to the 
relative value or merit of those services. 

In the time of the Revolutionary War, of Shay's rebel- 



110 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

lion, and of the war of 1812, our population was not nu- 
merous, and, though our part was faithfully performed, the 
number of men called for was by no means large, while, in 
the Revolutionary war only, was much real military ser- 
vice performed. Only a few can now remember the drafts 
then made upon us. None of our inhabitants engaged 
in the Mexican war, a war which was the result of a meas- 
ure obnoxious to the greater part of the people. Fifty 
years of undisturbed peace had rendered us unfamiliar 
with the arts and paraphernalia of war. In the earlier 
portion of this period, there were, it is true, military com- 
panies and parade days ; but these had entirely ceased, 
and few of those in early life had ever seen a militia 
soldier. We thought that our nation stood strong. 
Though other nations might be rent by civil commotions 
or foreign war, we hoped that we might be exempt. But 
the time was approaching when war, in its numberless 
forms of horror, was to beccme to us an actual reality. 

It would be needless to detail the events preceding and 
attendant upon the election of President Lincoln in the 
autumn of 1860, the secret plots of traitors, and the tem- 
porizing of President Buchanan during the remainder of 
his administration, the attempts upon the life of the 
President-elect, his inauguration, and the vigorous though 
conciliatory policy which he adopted, the development of 
secret treachery into open revolt in the attack upon Fort 
Sumter, and the subsequent grand uprising of the peo- 
ple. All these event^s are still fresh in our memories, and 
will there remain fixed. We remember well the days of 
eager expectancy and intense excitement which succeeded 
the issue, of the call for 75,000 volunteers, when the 
nation's capital seemed to be surrounded by its enemies, 
and all open communication with it suspended. 

We did not then think that we were entering upon a 



THE CIVIL WAR. Ill 

protracted struggle of four long, terrible years. We did 
not think that the call for men was to be so oft repeated. 
We did not know that the remorseless hand of war was to 
enter almost every home, and that from many of these 
homes some loved one was to fall a sacrifice. In wisdom 
the future was hidden from our sight. A short time 
passed, and it became apparent that 75,000 men, in three 
months, could not quell a rebellion, which was from day to 
day assuming more gigantic proportions. Accordingly, a 
call was issued by the President for the enlistment of men 
for a three years' term. 

The first to respond to this call were James H. Clark, 
who joined the second Mass. regiment, commanded by 
Col. Gordon, Roland Williston, who had but rec^tly 
come into the place, and perhaps was not credited to the 
town, and who also joined the second Mass. regiment, 
Gustavus W. Peabody, Edward Graves, and Henry L. 
Ferry, who enlisted in the 10th regiment at the time of 
its formation. Henry L. Ferry was a member of the reg- 
iment about eighteen months, taking part in McClellan's 
peninsular campaign. He was at last discharged on ac- 
count of poor health. At a subsequent period however, 
he joined the 31st Mass. regiment, and remained with 
them until they were mustered out. Gustavus W. Pea- 
body retained his connection with the regiment so long as 
it continued in the service, and was with it in most of its 
battles, though absent a short time in consequence of a 
wound in the arm received at the battle of Salem Heights. 

Albert S. Gove, Salmon H. Lyman, and Richard Good- 
sell, went to New York, and enlisted in a regiment known 
as the Anderson Zouaves. Of these three, the first men- 
tioned went through the whole three years of his enlist- 
ment without a wound, although he was in many, if not 
all of the battles in which the army of the Potomac were 



112 HISTOKY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

engaged, up to the time of his discharge. For a portion 
of the time, he was engaged in detached service at the 
headquarters of Gen. Wheaton. Salmon H. Lyman, after 
serving about one year, was taken sick and died. Before 
his sickness he was with McClellan, on the Peninsula, and 
fought at the battle of Williamsburg. 

These, hitherto named, enlisted in the early part of the 
year. The summer wore away, and the call came for more 
men 5 The 27th regiment was mustering at Springfield, 
Its ranks must be filled, and we must come forward to aid. 
Efforts were made to procure enlistments, and the follow- 
ing men from this town enrolled their names: — Thomas 
Bolton, Lafayette Clapp, Alvin W. Clark, George P. 
Clark, William P. Derby, Charles D. Fish, Sylvester S. 
Hooper, John H. Judd, Frederick P. Stone, Justus Lyman, 
Thaddeus Lyman. The last mentioned of these did not, 
however, long remain in the regiment, owing to a severe 
sickness which attacked him soon after going into camp. 

These men joined Co. A, and were mustered into the 
service Sept. 20, 1861. They left Camp Reed, Nov. 2d, 
and went to Annapolis, Md., where they joined the forces 
gathering under Gen. Burnside. With his expedition 
they sailed, and assisted in the capture of Roanoke Island, 
Feb. 8, 1862, and afterwards in the battle and capture of 
Newborn. Of these just mentioned, William P. Derby 
was appointed to a position in the post ofiice, which he 
retained during his period of enlistment. Lafayette Clapp 
was detailed for hospital service, and remained at Newborn, 
part of the time only with the regiment, until near the close 
of the war. The latter part of the time he was employed 
in connection with the Sanitary Commission and White 
Refugee Department. The others followed the fortunes 
of the regiment. For a long time they were required to 
do garrison and provost duty in and about Newborn, 



THE CIVIL WAR. 113 

though on one occasion they engaged in an expedition to 
Goldsboro, and also at other times on difficult marches. 
They also shared in the defense of Little Washington, 
during a protracted siege of seventeen days, — a siege most 
gallantly and successfully sustained. In the summer of 
1862 they received a considerable accession to their number, 
from those who volunteered, in response to a call of the 
President for 300,000 men. 

Those who went from this place were William Bly, 
Henry Braman, Oliver A. Clark, George A. Hill, Lyman 
A. Howard, Elisha C. Lyman, Patrick Murphy, Ezra O. 
Spoon er, Spencer C. Wood. To these niay be added 
Henry Lyman, who although he was not counted on our 
quota, was a native of this town, and held the same place 
in the regard of the community which the others did. For 
about a year he performed faithfully the duties of a Chris- 
tian soldier. In the summer of '63, he sickened and 
died at Newbern. Elisha C. Lyman, another of this 
number, joined Co. A, in which he already had a brother ; 
but his military career, though heartily entered upon, 
was to be short. He died at Newbern, Dec. 26, 1862. 
Spencer C. Wood remained in the army but a short 
time, in consequence of sickness, which led him to obtain 
a discharge. 

In the winter of 1863-'4, the regiment was trans- 
ferred to the department of Gen. Butler in Eastern Vir- 
ginia, and spent the v/inter at Norfolk and Portsmouth. 
In the spring, our men took part in the advance of Butler 
up the James. OFor several days they were engaged in 
fighting along the railroad between Richmond and Peters- 
burg. On the 16th of May, while fighting at Drury's 
Bluff", many of the regiment, including the greater part 
of Co. A, were taken prisoners, having been surrounded 
by the enemy, whose movements were concealed by a 
10 



114 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

dense fog. The following soldiers from this town were 
captured: — Thomas Bolton, Henry Braman, Alvan W. 
Clark, Oliver A. Clark, Sylvester S. Hooper, Lyman A. 
Howard, John H. Judd, Justus Lyman, Patrick Murphy, 
Edward Merrigan, Ezra O. Spooner, Frederick P. Stone. 
To this list of captured may be added the name of Rufus 
Robinson, who although at the time of his enlistment he 
was living in Southampton, and counted on their quota, 
yet had for a number of years previously resided in this 
town. He had joined the regiment only a short time 
before the advance up the Peninsula. 

J. H. Judd, who had been promoted from sergeant to 
first lieutenant, was at the time in command of Co. A, 
and Justus Lyman, who had received a similar promotion 
and had been assigned to another company, were confined 
two weeks in Libby Prison, and then sent successively to 
Macon, S. C, Charleston, and Columbia, S. C, and Char- 
lotte, N. C. On the 16th of February, 1865, after having 
been confined nine months, Lieut. Judd, in company with 
a few others, made his escape, and, after meeting with 
various adventures, reached a place of safety with a 
Union man, until the advance of Sherman about that 
time, brought relief. Lieut. Lyman was exchanged about 
the time of Lieut. Judd's escape. He retained his con- 
nection with the army until the close of the war, before 
which time he received a captain's commission. 

The other prisoners were taken to Andersonville, which 
place they reached May 30. In this den of horrors they 
were confined, and endured, as long as life lasted, those 
sufi'erings and tortures which have stamped with infamy 
the rebel cause, and which for magnitude and enormity, 
stand almost unrivalled in the record of human atrocities. 
Of the number sent here, five died. Their names were as 
follows: Oliver A. Clark, Alvin W. Clark, Ezra 0. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 115 

Spooner, Frederick P. Stone, Rufus Robinson. The 
others were released at last, and permitted to return 
home. 

In the fall of 1861, after the men who had joined the 
27th regiment had gone, enlistment rolls were opened to 
obtain men for Gen. Butler, who was then raising a regi- 
ment in the western part of the state. The following men 
enrolled their names, and went into camp at Pittsfield : 
Theodore E. Bartlett, Amasa Braman, Joseph U. Braman, 
Leonard Braman, William Bryant, Egbert I. Clapp, Mar- 
tin S. Dodge, Albert H. Ford, Samuel D. Gould, Chaun- 
cey A. Hendrick, William Hickey, John Leavitt, Almon 
S. Ludden, James F. Mahar, William Newton, Wilbur H. 
Purdy, Henry V. Rich, Fordyce A. Rust, Charles S. 
Rust, Richard Wright. 

Of these, A. S. Ludden, being unable to leave the state 
in consequence of sickness, was discharged. Theodore E. 
Bartlett and William H. Purdy were with the regiment 
only during the early part of its career. Richard Wright 
was discharged. Chauncey A. Hendrick was taken sick, 
and returned home, where he died shortly after his arrival. 
William Hickey was killed in battle at Camp Bisland. 
The others served out all, or nearly all, the three years. 

F. A. Rust went as 1st Sergeant of Co. B, but was 
promoted to 1st Lieutenant, and transferred. Charles 
S. Rust went out as Sergt., was detailed as Quarter- 
master Sergt., and finally was appointed Quartermaster, 
with the rank of 1st Lieut. On the promotion of Lieut. 
Rust, Egbert I. Clapp was appointed Quartermaster Sergt., 
and before the expiration of his term of service received 
the commission of 2nd Lieut. M. S. Dodge, Orderly 
Sergt,, was on detached service a part of the time at 
Gallop's Island. 

The military history of the regiment may be said to ba 



116 HISTOEY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

that of the others. They went out with Gen. Butler, and 
were the first Union soldiers to enter New Orleans. For 
a time they were employed in garrisoning Fort Jackson. 
They were in the battle of Camp Bisland, took part in the 
march through the Teche country, and were engaged at 
Pott Hudson during all the siege of that stronghold. 
After this they participated in the Red River campaign of 
Gen. Banks, during which they were engaged in the bat- 
tles of Cane River, Pleasant Hill, Pine Bluff, Sabine Cross 
Roads, Bynam's Mills, Gov. Moore's Plantation, and Yel- 
low Bayou. 

This season their term of service expired, and of them 
the following re-enlisted and were allowed a furlough 
home : — William Bryant, Egbert I. Clapp, Martin S. 
Dodge, Albert H. Ford, John Leavitt, James F. Mahar, 
William Newton, Charles S. Rust, Samuel D. Gould, the 
last of whom was wounded at the battle of Pleasant Hill. 
In the fall of 1864, those who did not re-enlist came 
home, while those who did re-enlist remained till the close 
of the war. In the early part of 1865, they were ordered 
to Florida, and afterwards to Mobile, Avhere they were 
stationed as provost guard until the regiment returned. 

The summer of 1862 came, and with it a call for 
300,000 more. The question of duty to country was com- 
ing more and more closely home to every man. A new 
regiment, the 37th, was being raised in this section, and 
a number entered it, though the men who volunteered at 
this time had the privilege of being assigned to any other 
regiment which they should elect. It was at this time 
that' the men before mentioned as recruits for the 27th, 
enlisted. The others who volunteered were William 
Bartlett, Marshal Blythe, H. Bodisco Chapman, Charles 
H. Clark, David Fahey, Andrew J. Ferrell, Andrew J. 
Hill, Daniel Kane, Alpheus W. Parsons. Of this num» 



THE CIVIL WAR. 117 

ber, the last named was taken sick not long after entering 
the service, and was discharged. H. B. Chapman remain- 
ed for a longer period, but was finally discharged. Chas. 
H. Clark was transferred to the Veteran Reserve Corps, 
where he served till the close of the war. Daniel Kane 
died the first winter out, while in camp at Falmouth. 
Only four, A. J. Ferrell, A. J. Hill, David Fahey, and 
Marshal Blythe, remained with the regiment till it was 
mustered out. The honorable course and hard service of 
the 37th are well known. They were with the Army of 
the Potomac most of the time, when not in the Shenan- 
doah valley with Gen. Sheridan. The four named were in 
nearly, or quite, all the following battles, while some of 
the others were in the earlier ones : — 

Fredericksburg, Salem Heights, Mary's Hill, Gettys- 
burg, Mine Run, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Coal Harbor, 
Petersburg, Fort Stevens, Charlestown, Opequan, Hatch- 
er's Run, Fort Fisher, Petersburg, Saylor's Creek. The 
last two of these engagements were those fought in the 
final contest with the forces of Gen. Lee. 

Scarcely had the call for three years' men been met, 
when a draft for 300,000 nine months' men was ordered. 
The quotas of the different towns in the state were made 
out, that of this town being about forty. The number 
was nearly twice as great as had gone on any previous 
occasion, and many who had heretofore shrank from the 
sacrifice, and hoped that the great conflict might pass 
without demanding their aid, now felt that the call of 
duty came to them. Efforts were made to procure en- 
listments so as to avoid the necessity of a draft. Public 
meetings were held for several successive evenings, until, 
at last, the requisite number had enrolled themselves. 
This was about September 1. They remained at their 
homes however, until the 1st of October, on which day 
10* 



118 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTOW; 

they assembled at the depot,, and. took their departure for 
Camp Miller, Greenfield. Our men, together with those 
from Hatfield, Southampton, and Westhampton, consti- 
tuted Company K, which was assigned to the left of the 
regiment. 

The names of those from Easthampton, were as follows : 
1st Lieut. Lewis Clapp, Commissary. Lewis S. Clark,Whit- 
ney F. Alvord, Lyman H.Bartlett, Clinton Bates, Frank 
L. Boehm, Charles L. Boehm George M. Clapp, William 
E. Clapp, Edmund W. Clark, Frederick C. Colton, Charles 
W. Dawes, Edward M. Ferry, S. Williston Graves, James T. 
Graves, Henry F. Gridley, Joseph K. Hull, Edwin E. 
Janes, Charles W. Johnson, John G. Keppel, Albert A. 
Lyman, Charles H. Lyman, Daniel W. Lyman, John W. 
Lyman, Samuel K. Matthews, Lucius E. Parsons, Herbert 
W. Pomeroy, William W. Poole, Stephen W. Pierce, 
Alfred S. Shaw, George W. Shaw, B. Milton Smith, 
William G. Taylor, Lorenzo D. Trask, Lewis P. Wait, 
Charles L. Webster, Enoch E. Wood, Newton Wood, 
Luther L. Wright, 

The first member of the company, and indeed of the 
regiment, who died, was Lewis P. Wait, who was in camp 
but about two weeks, and died one month from his first 
day in camp. The attendance of the company at his fu- 
neral was an occasion of melancholy interest, and will not 
soon be forgotten. Another occasion of deep interest was 
that of the presentation, in behalf of the Sabbath Schools, 
of a pocket edition of the Testament and Psalms, to every 
man. On the 20th of November, they broke camp at 
Greenfield, and started for New York. Many of their 
friends met them at Northampton, where they stopped a 
few moments, and bade them a tearful, to some, a last 
farewell. They were a noble body of men, and loft a void 
in our community more felt, because larger, than any 



THE CIVIL WAR. 1 1 9 

which had been left before. Yet, men as noble, patriotic, 
and true, had gone before, and had been missed in our 
community — men whose sacrifice and risk were greater, 
from the longer term of service upon which they entered. 
Arriving at New York, they soon joined the forces of 
Gen, Banks, encamped on Long Island. On the 2d of 
December, they set sail for. Ship Island arriving there the 
13th, sailed up the Mississippi, and landed at Baton Rouge 
the 18th, where they spent nearly three months. Most 
of them participated in the first march to Port Hudson. 
On the 27th of March, they left Port Hudson for Brashear 
City, took part in the march of Gen. Banks through the 
Teche country, and were left at Barrels Landing to guard 
the post, while the main army went on to Alexandria. 
On its investment of Port Hudson, they were ordered to 
join the besieging forces, and marched to Berwick Bay, a 
distance of one hundred and twenty-six miles, in five days 
and two hours, and the last fifty-three miles in tw^enty- 
eight consecutive hours. Not long after they had rejoined 
the army they took part in the unsuccessful Sabbath 
assault on the enemy's works, June 14th. On this day, 
one of them, Daniel W. Lyman, lost his life by a ball from 
a rebel sharpshooter. They remained until the surrender 
of the place, July 8th, soon after which they started up 
the Mississippi on their return home, being the first 
regiment to sail up that river after its opening. They 
arrived at home on the 3d of August, and were mustered 
out the 14th. This notice of the doings of Co. K, is 
substantially the history of our thirty-eight men, and is 
given in this way to avoid repetition, though some, from 
sickness, did not participate in the active service of the 
campaign. Alfred S. Shaw was taken sick and did not 
go out with the regiment. 

In the autumn of 1862, about the time of the enlist- 



120 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

ment of the 52d regiment, Alonzo S. King enlisted in the 
navy, and was assigned to the Henry Hudson, which was 
stationed off the coast of Florida. He remained a year, 
during which time he performed faithful service. 

The following persons were members of the 1st Mass. 
cavalry : — Asa S. Strong, Frank Hoyt, John Kinloch, 
Edwin Fahey, William Dehill, James Newton, the latter 
of whom remained in the service only about two years. 
John Kinloch was taken prisoner, twice, and the last time 
was confined at Salisbury for six months. Thomas 
O'Donnell enlisted in the winter of 1863-4, and joined 
this regiment and from this time was with the regiment in 
every battle which it fought till the war was over. Ed- 
win Fahey was taken prisoner during the operations of 
the cavalry on the Weldon Railroad, and was sent to 
Andersonville, where he remained nine months, 

Hugo Oberempt joined the 5th Connecticut regiment, 
June 5, 1861, was with Gen. Banks in the Shenandoah 
campaign, at both battles of Winchester, and Cedar 
Mountain, where he was taken prisoner and confined one 
month on Belle Isle. He was exchanged, and fought at 
Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He was in the corps of 
General Hooker, which joined General Sherman, partici- 
pating in the campaign from Chattanooga to Atlanta, at 
the battles of Resacca, Gassville, Lost Mountain, Kene- 
saw, Gulp's Farm, and Peach Tree Creek, at which place 
he was wounded. He was then transferred to the corps 
of Topographical Engineers, in which capacity he accom- 
panied Sherman in his grand march to Savannah, and 
afterwards in the campaign through the Carolinas, at the 
battles of Chesterfield, Averysboro, and Bentonsville. 
From Raleigh h^ marehed to- Washington, where he was 
in the grand review of Sherman's army. 

Charles Braman was a member of the 34th Massachu- 



THE CIVIL WAR. 121 

setts regiment, which regiment performed good service in 
the campaigns in Virginia. He was with the regiment for 
two years. 

Michael Fitzgerald joined the 82d New York regiment 
in the spring of 1864, and fought in the battles of the 
Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Coal Harbor, Deep Bottom, 
and White House Landing. He was wounded at the bat- 
tle of Deep Bottom, August 14, 1864, and was discharged 
June 15, 1865. 

Thomas Connolly enlisted in th^ navy August 27, 1862, 
and was assigned to the Monongahela, of Admiral Farra- ^ 
gut's squadron, with which he was connected during the 
siege T)f Port Hudson. He was in the service two and 
one-half years. 

At the same time with him John Quinn and John Dono- 
van enlisted in the navy, the former being assigned to the 
Tennessee, and the latter to the Patapsco. They however 
remained only a year. 

Justin W. Chapin was a member of a New York regi- 
ment. He was taken prisoner and confined in Andcrson- 
ville seven months, but was finally released and returned 
home. 

John G. Hennessey enlisted as a recruit in the 5th New 
Hampshire regiment, and served during the last year of 
the war in the " Army of the Potomac." 

Charles Pvcnsalear enlisted in the 54th Mass. regiment. 
In one battle he was wounded and taken prisoner, and 
nothing more was known of him till he was recognized by 
one of our citizens who was- a fellow prisoner at Ander- . 
sonville. He was then suffering from a wound in the 
breast, and died the next day after he was found out. 

There are other men and probably more than have been 
called to our notice, who while they did not enlist from 
this place, anxl therefore did. not count on our quota, are 



122 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON.' 

yet in some way connected with us, and whom we may 
claim as Easthampton soldiers. 

Among these the name of Dr. F. C. Greene may, with 
propriety, find place, for, although he did not go directly 
from this place, he had lived here before and does now. 
He was with McClellan in the Peninsula campaign, and 
very nearly lost his life in the Chickahominy swamps. 
He was afterwards in Louisiana, with Gen. Banks, where 
he performed excellent service both in the hospital and on 
the field. 

Augustus Clapp, son of Luther Clapp, was first a mem- 
ber of an Ohio three months' regiment, which was engag- 
ed in fighting guerrillas, and in guarding prisoners. He 
enlisted again as a member of the 3d regiment Ohio cav- 
alry, in the autumn of 1862. In the early part of 1863, 
he was seized with the typhoid fever, and died in hospi- 
tal at Nashville. 

John Reagan enlisted Aug. 30, 1861, at Washington, 
D.. C., in Co. B, 3d New York Cavalry, as farrier. He 
was discharged at Newbern, N. C, Sept. 30, 1862, from 
disability, brought on by exposure to dampness and cold 
at Poolesville, Md. He was in the Ball's Bluff fight, and 
his regiment were engaged in Western Virginia, in the 
early part of their service, whence they were sent to 
Newbern, N. C. Gen. Burnside had so high an apprecia- 
tion of his services as farrier, that he wrote him a letter 
personally, urging him to come on again and take care of 
his horses. 

Thomas Barbour enlisted December 22, 1863, and joined 
Co. B, 27th regiment. He served until June 26, 1865, 
and was in the following battles : Port Walthal Junction, 
Arrowfield Church, Before Petersburg, Petersburg Mine, 
Southwest Creek. He was captured in this last engage- 
ment, and paroled iaRichmoad, Va,, May 26, 1865. 



THE CIVIL WAR, 123 

Charles and James S. Tencellent enlisted in the 10th 
Connecticut regiment. The latter served for a period of 
three years and was spared to return home, but the former 
lost his life in the battle of Olustee in Florida. 

There were other soldiers whose names we have learned 
and give below, but respecting whom we have been able 
to collect very little information. Most of them were not 
natives or residents of the town, and were not known by 
individuals here. They performed no doubt excellent ser- 
vice and probably some of them lost their lives in the 
different battles in which they were engaged. Patrick *Mc- 
Namee, Michael Hafey, John Tencellent, Frank Thornton, 
Charles B. Hendrick, Joseph LaBiestens, John Howard, 
William Maffit, Dennis V. Champlin, 55th Mass. regiment ; 
Martin Butler, Hugh Furfey, 6th Battery; Dexter Edwards, 
H. C. Hoffman, Louis Klein, 4th Mass. regiment ; Henry 
Bedell, 4th Mass.; John Gerry, William Thomas, Pat. Walsh, 
Robert Fale, 15th Battery ; James Nelson, 15th Battery ; 
William Fogg, William B. Cloutman, Veteran Reserve 
Corps; Thomas Connor, 24th regiment ; Richard Dane, 
James E. Sweatland, Henry Galloway, Louis J. Evans, ^ 
Samuel Beattie, Edward Hogan, James Boardman, 
Navy ; John Fluhine, 2d Heavy Artillery ; Thomas 
J. Fisher, Joshua L. French, Daniel Ferguson, 10th 
Heavy Artillery ; William G. Gage, 2d Mass.Cavaky ; 
John Casey, Richard Davis, 2d Heavy Artillery; 
John Carson, 16th Unattached Artillery; James W. Crock- 
er, 11th Infantry; Moses Graff, Edward Burns, 6th 
Battery; Pat. Welsh, Andrew Miller, John White, 2d 
Heavy Artillery; Morey, William H. Turner, Dan- 
iel Crowin, Ralph Burnett, William Kyle. 

Gilbert Sandy enlisted January 26, 1864, was taken 
prisoner and confined in Andersonville nine or ten months, 
and shared with other prisoners, and perhaps with some 



124 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

of those whose names are mentioned above, the horrors of 
that prison pen. Charles Morganweck was in the 27th 
Massachusetts regiment for a time. 

The preceding record is supposed to contain the names 
of nearly all the soldiers furnished by the town. It con- 
tains all the names which have been placed upon the 
Rebellion Record, which include all the citizens of the 
place who served in the army. Our list also comprises 
many others whose names we have obtained from various 
sources. 

Al30ut twenty-five of our citizens were represented in the 
army by substitutes. The names of nearly all of these, 
and perhaps of a few others, we have been unable to 
obtain. 

It has been our purpose to make this record as complete 
and accurate as possible, though it has been a work of 
extreme difficulty. The whole number of men furnished 
or paid for by the town, is about 200, while the sum 
expended for bounties is $40,000. 

The following brief notice of three sons of Joseph 
Alvord, now of Bement, 111., but a native of Easthampton, 
and for many years a resident of it, will not be deemed 
out of place. 

Lieut. Joseph C. Alvord, of Co. A, 21st Illinois regi- 
ment, enlisted at the beginning of the war, was in seven 
battles, andifell at the battle of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, 
December 30, 1862, while endeavoring to rally his men. 
One of his comrades in speaking of him, said : " he was 
an efficient officer, a>nobleiman, and a gentleman in every 
sense of the word." 

Oscar L. Alvord, enlisted in the 54th Illinois regiment, 
but not long after was taken sick in camp Avith the ty- 
phoid fever. He was taken home, but died a few days 
after reachinor it. 



THE CIVIL WAR. 125 

Harrison M. Alvord, was a member of the 73d Illinois 
regiment, in which he served through the war, in the 
campaigns under Sherman. He passed through all his 
battles without a wound, though meeting with many 
narrow escapes. 

Henry H. Smith, son of Rev. Hervey Smith of this 
town, was in Georgia, engaged in a printing office at the 
time of the secession of that State, soon after which he 
was ordered to leave the state or to join the rebel army. 
He immediately went to North Carolina, where he re- 
mained until Jefferson Davis ordered all aliens to leave the 
confederate states or to take the oath of allegiance. He 
at once made preparations to come north and succeeded 
in reaching Richmond, having eluded the watchfulness of 
vigilance committees of towns through which he passed. 
At Richmond he was on the point of taking the cars for 
the north, when he was arrested, taken before Gov. Letch- 
er and others, examined, judged to be an enemy to the 
South, and thrown into prison. Here he was robbed of 
all his money, of his effects of every kind, and of all his 
clothing, save only a thin summer suit which he wore. 
To tell what he suffered there from hunger, and the cold 
of the following winter, as well as from the abuse of the 
prison officers, would be to rehearse the story of thousands 
who like him fell into their hands. While there he was 
repeatedly promised by a high official a release, and com- 
mission in the army, if he would swear to support the 
rebel government, but to all such propositions his reply 
was, no, never, never. From Richmond he was taken to 
Salisbury, N. C, and while there he was exchanged, after 
having been imprisoned twenty months. Immediately 
after his exchange he came home, and after some months 
of rest he obtained a situation in the Provost Marshal's 
office in New York. Here he remained for a time, but 

u 



126 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

feeling a desire to do more for his country than he could 
there do, he enlisted in a company of light artillery which 
was formed in Jersey City. He went into camp in Wash- 
ington, where after about five months drill he received a 
serious injury by the falling of his horse. The injury 
proving to be such as would incapacitate him for service 
in the army, after months of confinement and suffering, 
by the advice of his surgeon he sought and received an 
honorable discharge. His imprisonment and consequent 
sufferings were perhaps as much for his country as if he 
had been a soldier who had fallen into their hands, and he 
certainly is worthy of mention here in this connection. 

It is fitting that we should here speak of the services of 
another of our country's defenders, to whom no communi- 
ty can lay claim with better right than this. We refer to 
Gen. George C. Strong. Born in Stockbridge, Vt., at an 
early age he was taken by his father to Chicago, and 
afterwards to Joliet, 111., and by him on his death bed con- 
signed to the care of A. L. Strong, of this town, who was 
his uncle. He received his academical education at Wil- 
liston Seminary, and during this time displayed a remark- 
able predilection for a military career. In 1853, after in- 
defatigable and for a long time almost fruitless exertions 
on the part of Mr. Strong, he was appointed to West 
Point. He graduated in 1857, standing third in his class, 
specially excelling all his classmates in the military exer- 
cises of the campus, and took the rank of commander of the 
battalion of cadets. 

Lieut. Strong received his brevet in the Ordnance De- 
partment, and was for a while stationed at Selma, Ala., 
and afterwards at the Watervliet Arsenal in Troy, the 
command of which he received after Major Mordecai had 
proved untrue to his country. From thence he was called 
to the position of Chief of Ordnance to Gen. McDowell, 



THE CIVIL WAR. 127 

and distinguished himself in the battle of Bull Kun, by 
his cool courage and daring. Afterward he was attached 
to the staff of Gen. McClellan. with whom he remained 
until September, 1861, when upon application of Gen. 
Butler, he received the appointment of Assistant Adjutant 
General, with the rank of Major, and was transferred as 
Chief of Staff to Gen. Butler, and acting Chief of Ord- 
nance. Major Strong's services were most valuable, and 
his labors incessant, in organizing the expedition to New 
Orleans, to the success of which he contributed not a lit- 
tle. Here his duties were so arduous, that his health 
gave way, and early in June, being seized with a fever of 
that country, he was obliged to come home to recruit. By 
September he had so far recovered his health as to be able 
to return to his duties. His activity of intellect could not 
be satisfied with the routine of office, and he obtained per- 
mission from Gen. Butler to head an expedition against a 
force of the enemy, under Gen. Jeff. Thompson, who were 
stationed at the village of Pontellatoula. After a closely 
contested action against a superior force, he succeeded in 
capturing the place, with a large amount of commissary 
stores which he burned, together with the railroad 
cars and public buildings. He brought off with him 
the spurs and sword of Gen. Thompson, which bore 
the inscription, " From the patriots of Memphis." When 
Gen. Butler was relieved from the command of the De- 
partment of the Gulf, Major Strong returned with him, 
and on his recommendation was promoted to Brigadier 
General of Volunteers, for his gallantry, courage, and 
efficiency. He remained attached to Gen. Butler's staff 
for a time, but at length finding that there was no pros- 
pect thut he would be ordered into immediate service, al- 
though in a state of health which to many a man would 
have been suggestive only of a physican and a sick bed, he 



128 IIISTOEY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

volunteered to go with Gen. Gillmore, to participate in 
the attack upon Charleston. To his brigade was assigned 
the post of honor in the attack on the batteries of Morris 
Island, upon which he was the first to land. His boots 
having become filled with water, he pulled them off and led 
the charge with only his stockings on. The batteries were 
gallantly carried, and the brigade afterwards received the 
congratulation of Gen. Gillmore, who said that it was the 
first instance during the war in which powerful batteries had 
been successfully assaulted by a column disembarked under 
a heavy artillery fire. He was placed in command of the 
troops on Morris Island, and given charge of the column 
which was to assault Fort Wagner. In this attack he re- 
ceived his death wound, while leading and inspiriting his 
men, who almost worshipped him for his daring, his kind- 
ness of heart, and his strict though impartial discipline^ 
His injury produced lock-jaw from which he died on the 
morning of July 30th, 1863. 

Some one has paid him the following noble tribute : — 
"Possessed of every endowment of head and heart, thor- 
oughly trained by an education which had left both head 
and heart untrammelled to their noblest impulses, a loving 
husband, a doting father, the most genial of companions^ 
the truest of friends, the bravest of soldiers, the accom- 
plished officer, the daring leader, and withal a devout 
Christian, no more precious sacrifice has been laid on the 
altar of his country than George Crockett Strong." 

If any apology is needed for giving this prominence to 
Gen. Strong, it is to be found in the fact that while he did 
not go from this place to the war, he is yet in some respect 
a son of Easthampton, and deserves mention among her 
sons. His military career being somewhat extended, 
could not well be sketched more briefly than it has been„ 
While, as a military man, from his education, his genius^ 



THE CIVIL WAR, • 129 

and his opportunities, his name may be said to stand at 
the head of those whom we claim as ours, there are others 
whose names are here recorded, who may justly be ranked 
as his peers in respect of patriotism, self-sacrificing devo- 
tion to the welfare of country, unswerving devotion to 
principle, and high moral worth. 

To all who have enlisted from our midst, whether their 
names be found here or not, we owe, and desire to tender, 
our warmest gratitude. The separation from home and 
friends, the privations of the camp, the rigors of winter, 
and the feverish heat of a Southern summer, the weari- 
ness of the march by day and of picket by night, the dan- 
gers of the battle field, and the horrors of rebel dungeons, 
they have bravely borne. In the Shenandoah valley, they 
met the rebel ranks bent on invasion. With Burnside at 
Newbern, they conquered the foe, and set up the banner, 
which was there to float till the whole South was redeem- 
ed. Again, with Burnside at Fredericksburg, and with 
Hooker at Chancellorsville, they vainly strove to force 
the rebels from their position, and open the way to their 
capital. With McClellan at Antietam, and with Meade 
at Gettysburg, they met and rolled back the tide of inva- 
sion which was threatening to engulf us in its waves. 
With Butler, they redeemed the Crescent City, and vindi- 
cated the dishonored flag. With Banks at Port Hudson, 
they gloriously consummated the long struggle which un- 
locked the Father of Waters. With Strong at Wagner, 
they stormed the defences of that early citadel of rebel- 
lion. With Sherman from Chattanooga to Atlanta, from 
Atlanta to Savannah, from Savannah to Raleigh, they bore 
the flag in battle and in storm. With Butler along the . 
James, and with Sheridan along the Shenandoah, they 
fought bravely and well. With Grant, they rallied and 
struggled through those long and bloody days in the 
II* 



130 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Wilderness. vStep by step they drove back the rebel 
legions to their capital. There they planted themselves, 
and prepared for the final conflict. Weeks and months- 
passed, the snows of winter fell and melted away. The 
final conflict, bloody and terrible, came at last, and 
victory was ours. Then, from Raleigh and Richmond 
they bore the triumphant banners, stained indeed with 
blood, and blackened with the smoke of the conflict, 
but all radiant with a new life. After four long years of 
waiting, of sufl'ering and sacrifice, they brought the ban- 
ners to Washington, that they, and their defenders, might 
receive the plaudits of a nation rescued from the assaults 
of treason, and consecrated anew to the principles of 
freedom and self-government. 

At last they have returned home, have greeted once more 
the old familiar sights and faces, and have entered upon 
other employments than those of war. They have return- 
ed home, but, alas ! not all. As they trod once more our 
streets, or gathered once more in our places of assembly, 
there were those who looked with tear-dimmed eyes on 
the war-worn group, for they missed the form of some 
loved one there, and they knew that beneath the cold clods 
of the earth, that form was lying. To some of them, 
indeed, the remains of those they loved were brought, and 
now repose among kindred and friends in the burial place 
of their native village. Others have found their last rest- 
ing place along the banks of the Mississippi, or on the 
blood-stained fields of Virginia, while others still met 
death in Southern prisons, and now fill nameless graves. 
To one, death came almost before he had entered upon 
the active duties of a soldier's life. Some were permitted 
to enter upon their work, but were called away before it 
seemed half done ; while others were spared almost to 
the completion of th'eir term of service. The battle-field, 



THE CIVIL WAR. 131 

the hospital, the Southern prison, each had its victims. 
They went forth full of life and hope, only to find death, 
— death without knowing that the sacrifice would avail, 
— death without witnessing the final success of the cause, 
— death '* without the shout of victory, without the pride 
and glory of a return to receive the wreath and triumph of 
the conqueror." 

The record of our dead in this war is a noble one and 
should be sacredly cherished as long as patriotism is hon- 
ered or self-sacrifice calls forth our admiration and 
gratitude. 



Salmon H. Lyman, son of Dennis Lyman, one of the 
first to volunteer, was the first to fall. In the first sum- 
mer of the war, when the soldiers were rallying to the 
standard, he went to New York, joined the regiment 
known as the Anderson Zouaves, was home once on a 
furlough, spent one winter in camp, started out with Mc 
Clellan on his Peninsular campaign, Efnd fought at the 
battle of Williamsburg, soon after which he was taken 
sick, and removed to New York, where he died. His 
remains were brought to his home, where they were 
buried with military honors, on the 18th of September, 
1862. 

Chauncey A. Hendrick was a member of Co. B., 31st 
Massachusetts regiment. He was with them for a time, 
but, after a period of sickness, it was thought best that 
he should return. With great difficulty, he was able to 
reach home, but survived only a few days. 

Lewis P. Wait, son of Chester Wait, joined Co. K, 
52d Massachusetts regiment, taking his life in his hand, 
as did the others, that he might serve his country. Little 
did he know, when he enlisted, how short his term of ser- 



132 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

vice would be. Fifteen days only, was he in camp. 
While at home on a furlough he was taken sick, and died 
after a sickness of some two weeks. His funeral, which 
was attended by his comrades, was an occasion of deep 
interest and solemnity, and will not soon be forgotten. In 
his death the company lost one who would have been 
faithful to his duties, whether those of camp and field, 
or the Christian duties of a soldier to those about him. 

Daniel Kane, who had lived several years in Easthamp- 
ton, though not a native of it, enlisted in the 37th regi- 
ment, in the summer of 1862. During the ensuing win- 
ter, while the army of the Potomac was encamped at Fal- 
mouth, he was seized with the typhoid fever, and no effort 
which was put forth could save him. He died, and was 
buried there. 

Elisha C. Lyman, son of E. Waldo Lyman, was a mem- 
ber of Co. A, 27th regiment. He with other recruits, 
joined the regiment, of which his brother was already a 
member, in the summer of 1862. Not a long time was 
he spared to serve his country ; for, upon him, as upon 
so many others, the hand of disease was laid, and con- 
sumed away his life, before he had performed much of 
that service for Which he had volunteered. But the pat- 
riotic devotion was the same, and the sacrifice as costly, 
as if he had been spared to meet the enemy many times 
on the field of battle. His body was brought to the home 
from which he had so recently gone forth full of life and 
hope, and, amid sorrowing friends, it was committed to 
the earth. 

Wm. Hickey, who had resided here but a short time, 
enlisted in Co. B, 31st Massachusetts regiment. He was 
a good soldier and a man of great bravery and endurance. 
At the battle of Camp Bisland, one of the first battles in 
which he was engaged, he was killed by a rebel bullet. 



THE CIVIL WAR. 133 

James H. Clark enlisted in the 2d Massachusetts regi- 
ment in the spring of 1861, soon after the breaking out of 
the war. He was with his brave regiment in nearly all 
their battles till his death. He was with Gen. Banks in 
his Shenandoah campaign, with McClellan at Antietam, 
and subsequently at Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and 
Gettysburg, not to speakof minor engagements. Through 
all these he passed unscathed. He had nearly completed 
the first half of his last year, and we hoped that as he had 
been spared so long, he might be permitted to return in 
safety. But this hope was not to be realized. The burn- 
ing hand of fever was laid upon him, and he, who had 
faced death on so many fields, must, at last, bow before 
the touch of disease. His remains were brought to his 
home, and now repose among those of kindred and 
friends. 

Roland Williston, who had been here but a short time 
when the war broke out, enlisted in the same regiment. 
He died from the effects of a wound received, if we mis- 
take not, at Cedar Mountain. 

Charles Tencellent, who was a member of the 7th Con- 
necticut regiment, and who had resided here before the 
war, was in the disastrous battle at Olustee, Florida, and 
received wounds in consequence of which he died. 

Henry Lyman, oldest son of Ahira Lyman, enlisted in 
the summer of 1862, and with others joined the 27th 
regiment, which was then in the field. For a little more 
than one yeer, he was spared to serve his country, and 
then he was called up higher. To his fidelity as a soldier 
and a Christian, his comrades could testify. Chaplain 
Woodworth said that he was one of those, upon 
whom he most relied for assistance in promoting the 
spiritual welfare of the soldiers. From the prayer meet- 
ing he was seldom absent, and there his voice was often 



134 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

heard in prayer and exhortation. Calmly and peacefully 
as the setting of the* summer's sun he died, — died as only 
the Christian can die. Would that all the thousands 
whose death this war had caused, could have been sus- 
tained by a like precious faith. 

Of the Easthampton soldiers who have died away from 
home, he was the fourth and last whose remains were 
brought home for interment. These all rest in honored 
graves in our cemetery, while of the others, many fill un- 
known graves, by the banks of the Mississippi, or in that 
thickly populated city of the dead at Andersonville. 
But to the ears of them all alike shall come that final 
trumpet, which shall summon forth the dead from their 
graves. Though we may not mark, and water with our 
tears, the sacred spot of their final repose, yet the recol- 
lection of them all shall be fragrant in our memories, 
and, to the last of life, we will not cease to honor their 
names. 

Herbert W. Pomeroy, son of Julius Pomeroy, was a 
member of Co. K., 52d regiment. Like several previous- 
ly mentioned, he was spared to complete only a small 
portion of his term of service. His disease was typhoid 
fever, the same which carried ofi" so many of his regiment 
during the winter of 1862-3. He died at Plaquemine, 
while his company were stationed there. Of him the 
correspondent of the Gazette, from that regiment, said : 
* * While on board the Illinois, he felt deeply the need of 
a Saviour, and we have reason to believe that he not only 
felt his need, but sought Christ and found him precious. 
The Sabbath before his death, he felt that he could not 
live, and expressed the hope that he was a Christian, and 
sent word home that he died trusting in Christ." 

Daniel W. Lyman, son of Daniel F. Lyman, was a 
member of Co. K, 52d regiment, in which he was one of 



THE CIVIL WAR. 135 

the first to enlist. Not from any fondness for the adven- 
tures and perils of war, nor from any momentary impulse, 
but from a deliberate conviction that to him the voice of 
country was the voice of God, was he led to offer himself, 
a sacrifice if need be, for his country's salvation. Upon 
a Christian young man not absolutely forbidden by 
some higher call of duty, he felt that the claims of country 
then were paramount. Influenced by such considerations, 
it is not too much to say, that, in the darkest hour, his 
purpose never wavered, nor did a regret for his course 
find place in his heart. To his faithful performance of the 
duties of a Christian soldier, many have borne ample 
testimony. His cordial, unwavering trust in God, in times 
of darkness and danger, though probably doubted by 
none, is best known to those who knew him intimately. 
To many whom he never saw, he was known by his letters 
from the regiment, which were published in the 
Hampshire Gazette. Most of the time during eight 
of the nine months for which he enlisted, he was permitted 
to share with his company their hardships and perils. But 
the New England home, to which he looked forward with 
longing, he was no more to behold. Sabbath morning, 
June 14, 1863, an attack on Port Hudson was ordered, 
and, though deprecating the selection of that day for the 
assault, he went forward without faltering. His regiment 
being engaged as skirmishers, he, with a few of his com- 
rades, gained a position in a ravine somewhat in advance 
of the main line, and while here, very early in the engage- 
ment, a ball from a rebel sharpshooter struck him in his 
head, killing him instantly. It was his first and last battle. 
His was a sudden transition from the conflicts of earth, as 
we believe, to the peace of heaven. Capt. Bissell wrote 
thus in relation to him : — *' Gentle hands placed him in 
his grave, and covered the earth over him near the spot 



136 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

where he fell, although obliged to wait till after dark, 
and to be exposed to a storm of rebel bullets. This tender 
tribute of affection is his monument, and, although his 
dust may not make the violets of his native hills, it will 
not be amiss, on the morning of the resurrection, that his 
body should arise from the spot, where the latest duties of 
his life were so faithfully concluded." 

Were this the place for fraternal affection to give itself 
full expression, we might say more of his patriotism, of 
his fidelity to principle, of the promise of future useful- 
ness which he gave, and of the sorrow which his early 
death occasioned. In a kindred sorrow, however, thous- 
ands of homes in our country, and many in our midst, 
have shared ; and it is a sorrow better known by those 
who have been called to it, than expressed by any words 
of ours. 

Charles L. Webster, and Clinton Bates, the latter a 
native of Chesterfield, were also members of Co. K, 52d 
regiment. They had not long resided in Easthampton, 
and of them we cannot speak particularly from personal 
acquaintance. They were, however, we think, held to be 
faithful and true to the service in which they had enlisted. 
Their lives were spared until the work of their regiment 
was nearly done, and they had looked forward to a reun- 
ion with their friends at home, in a short time. But God, 
who seeth not as man seeth, had another purpose, and they 
too were called away, and their bodies laid to rest beside 
the river which they had assisted to rescue from the hands 
of traitors. 

The others, whose sacrifice and death remains to be 
chronicled, met their fate under circumstances more ag- 
gravating than did any of those before mentioned. We 
refer, of course, to those of our soldiers, who died in 
prison at Andersonville. Their names were, Alvin W. 



THE CIVIL WAR. 137 

Clark, Frederick P. Stone, Oliver A. Clark, Ezra O. 
Spooner, Rufus Robinson. All were members of Co. A, 
27tli regiment. The first two were original members of 
the company, and had been with It during most or all of 
its service. The next two went out as recruits in the sum- 
mer of 1862, while the last entered upon the service in 
the early part of 1864. To all these, our deepest grati- 
tude is due, not only for the service they performed, 
but for the extreme suffering they endured. For long, 
weary weeks or months, hungry and almost shelterless, in 
loneliness and sickness, with no tidings from home to 
cheer them up, no messages of love to light up the gloom. 
One after another, either from sickness vv^ithout care, or 
from unsatisfied hunger, they passed away. They died 
with no kindly ministration, save the sympathy which 
their fellow prisoners could afford ; died with no hand of 
mother or sister to alleviate their pain, or to wipe the 
death damp from their brow ; died, perhaps, with no one 
near to whom they could tell their last messages of love 
and affection. Thus they died, and ever, among the 
greatest sacrifices for country, will be recorded that of 
those who perished at Andersonville, 

Without any disparagement to the others, with whom 
we were less acquainted, we would say a word respecting 
Oliver A. Clark. 

In early youth he was led to embrace the offers of sal- 
vation, became connected with the church, and always 
maintained a consistent Christian walk and conversation. 
But those whose privilege it has been to read his letters, 
and, especially since his death, to peruse his diary, cannot 
fail to have seen that the influence of his army life was to 
develop a deeper Christian experience and a firmer trust in 
God. While at home he was much engaged in the Sab- 
bath school, of which at the time of his enlistment he was 
12 



138 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

a director. During the winter of 1863-64, while stationed 
at Norfolk, he was employed as teacher or superintendent 
of a colored Sabbath school in that place, in which he took 
great interest. His friends at home were dear to him, but 
he felt that without a country to protect these, they 
could not be enjoyed, and he was willing to do what 
he could to defend that country whose interests he held so 
dear. In about three weeks after his arrival at the prison 
he was taken sick, and on the 27th of June he was remov- 
ed from the stockade to the hospital. No one who knew 
him saw him after this. One of his companions, who at- 
tended upon him while he remained in the stockade, wrote 
in his diary, which has since been received by his friends, 
as follows : " He was perfectly resigned to whatever God's 
will might be, and such patience and faith did he exhibit, 
that we cannot but be sure that his was the peace which 
passeth understanding." 

Charles Rensselear, a member of the 54th Mass. regi- 
ment, and a native of this town, was wounded in some 
battle, fell into the hands of the enemy, and was taken to 
Andersonville, where he died. 

It has been said that the graves of her heroes are a na- 
tion's shrines, and as we have gathered, as it were, around 
the graves of these our heroes, surely it behooves us to 
tread lightly, for the place is sacred ground. Their forms 
we cannot see, for beneath the soil on which we stand 
they are mouldering to decay ; but the spirit which actu- 
ated them still lives, and the principles for whose main- 
tenance they died, though, indeed, triumphant to-day, will 
yet call for a vigorous defence. Here, while contemplating 
their character and death, surrounded as it were by their 
graves, may we be baf)tized anew by their spirit, and re- 
dedicate ourselves to the great cause to which they gave 
themselves. 



THE CIVIL WAR. 139 

The experiences of these four years of war, to those who 
remained at home, were wholly new and untried. They 
were such, moreovej.', as it is our sincere hope may never 
need to be repeated. Partings of friends we had seen be- 
fore, but such partings as were in store for us, we knew 
not until war broke upon us. To look upon the manly 
form of one we loved, and to think that perhaps — ah ! how 
the terrible possibilities come crowding in upon us — that, 
perhaps, he who was soon to go forth would never return ; 
that, languishing in some hospital, or lying wounded and 
bleeding upon some field of carnage, death might come to 
him, this added to the separation a pang which words can- 
not tell. And when, amid gathering tears, the last words 
were said, and they gone from our homes, how we strained 
our eyes to catch a last glimpse of the loved ones. Eagerly 
we watched every mail that might bring to us letters from 
our soldiers in the field, and if a battle had occurred in 
which their regiment was likely to be engaged, how 
anxiously we looked over the published list of killed. No 
one can tell, unless he has experienced it, the sudden, 
crushing weight of sorrow, which falls on their hearts, 
who read there the name of the one dearest to them all. 
And then the anxiety for one who is in the hospital, 
wasting away with disease, the unrelieved anxiety which 
oppresses the hearts of those whose friends have been 
taken prisoners, and they can neither alleviate their cruel 
suff'erings nor hear of their fate, the eagerness with which 
the last weeks and days of their term of service are 
counted, and the anguish of those who look in vain, 
among the returning veterans, for the soldier who went 
forth from their homes, each of these feelings has been 
experienced by some in our midst ; and, though the events 
are now passed, memory often renews them, and to the 
close of life, it will never cease to revert to those days of 
anxiety and sorrow. 



140 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Through the good Providence of God, a large propor- 
tion of those who enlisted have been spared to return 
home, and to enjoy the fruits of their hard earned 
victories. 

In those homes where the vacant chair has not been, 
nor will be filled, we pray God to bestow his consolation, 
which may be more to them than the greatest earthly 
blessing. 

To all who have manfully striven to uphold the gov- 
ernment, our heartfelt gratitude is due, while those who 
return not, yet speak to us, bidding us take their places 
in the great struggle against wrong, and calling us to be 
true to ourselves, our country, and our God. 

To God, the Almighty Disposer of Events, above all, 
should wc render the highest tribute of gratitude and 
thanksgiving, for that he has upheld and defended us as a 
nation, and, at last, has brought about a return of peace. 

Finally, by all which he has thus far done for us, and 
enabled us to do, in defending the constitution, and main- 
taining the principles of civil equality and religious free- 
dom, let us entreat him to grant wisdom to those entrusted 
with the solution of the great problem of reconstruction, 
so that none of the fruits of victory, so dearly bought, may 
be lost, but that the grand work, so auspiciously begun 
by our valiant armies may be carried forward to a glorious 
consummation. 



CHAPTER X 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTEK. 
GENEALOGY OF THE CLAPP FAMILY. 

Capt. Roger Clapp was born in Salcom, Devonshire, 
England, the 6th day of April, 1609, of pious and credita- 
ble parents. His religious education was accompanied 
with the early strivings of the Holy Spirit, that ended in 
his conversion. In his younger years, he obtained leave 
of his father to live in the city of Exon, under the minis- 
try of Rev. John Warham, to whom he was very much 
attached. In 1624, when Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick 
(who were afterwards colleague pastors in Dorchester,) 
were preparing, with a considerable number of persons, to 
move to this country, Mr. Clapp found in himself a strong 
inclination to accompany them, and after having, with 
some difficulty, obtained leave of his father, he set himself 
to work, to assist in the great work which the people of 
God had then in hand. He left, as a legacy to his child- 
ren, some account of God's remarkable Providences to 
him in bringing him to this land, and placing him here 
among his dear servants. The following is the account 
which he gives of his removal to this country, in his own 
words : " I gave you a hint towards the beginning that I 
came out of Plymouth, in Devon, the 20th of March, 
1630; at Nantasket, (now Hull,) the 30th day of May, 
12* 



142 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

1630. Now this is further to inform you that there came 
many goodly families in that ship. We were, of passen- 
gers, many in number, (besides seamen,) of good rank. 
Two of our magistrates came with us, viz., Mr. Rossiter 
and Mr. Ludlow, These godly people resolved to live 
together; and therefore, as they had made choice of those 
two Reverend servants of God, Mr. John Warham and 
Mr. John Maverick to be their ministers, so they kept a 
solemn day of fasting, in the new hospital in Plymouth, 
in England, spending it in preaching and praying ; where 
that worthy man of God, Mr. John White of Dorchester, 
in Dorset, was present, and preached unto us the word of 
God, in the fore part of the day ; and in the after part of 
the day, as the people did solemnly make choice of, and 
call those two godly ministers to be their officers, so also 
the Rev. Mr. Warham and Mr. Maverick, did accept 
thereof, and expressed the same. So we came, by the 
good hand of the Lord, through the deeps comfortably • 
having preaching or expounding of the word of God 
every day for ten weeks together, by our ministers. When 
we came to Nantasket, Capt. Squeb, who was captain of 
that great ship of four hundred tons, would not bring us 
into Charles river, as he was bound to do ; but put us 
ashore, and our goods at Nantasket Point, and left us to 
shift for ourselves in a forlorn place in the wilderness. 
But as it pleased God, we got a boat of some old planters, 
and laded her with goods ; and some able men, well 
armed, went in her unto Charlestown, where we found 
some wigwams and one house, and in that house there 
was a man, which had a boiled bass, but no bread that we 
saw, but we did eat of his bass, and then went up Charles 
river, until the river grew narrow and shallow, and there 
we landed our goods with much labor and toil, the bank 
being steep. And, night coming on, we were informed 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 143 

that there were, hard by us, three hundred Indians. One 
Englishman, that could speak the English language, an 
old planter, went to them and advised them not to come 
near us in the night ; and they harkened to his counsel. 
I myself was one of the sentinels that night. Our captain 
was alow-country soldier, one Mr. Southcot, a brave sol- 
dier. In the morning some of the Indians came and stood 
at a distance off, looking at us, but came not near us ; but 
Avhen they had been awhile in view, some of them came 
and held out a great bass towards us ; so we sent a man 
with a biscuit and changed the cake for the bass. After- 
wards they supplied us with bass, exchanging a bass for 
a biscuit cake, and were very friendly unto us. Oh ! Dear 
children ! Forget not what care God had over his dear 
servants, to watch over us, and protect us in our weak 
beginnings. Capt. Squeb turned ashore us and our 
goods, like a merciless man, but God, even our merciful 
God, took pity on us, so that we were supplied, first with 
a boat, and then caused many Indians, (some hundreds,) 
to be rnled by the advice of one man not to come near us. 
Alas ! had they come upon us, how soon might they have 
destroyed us ! I think we were not above ten in number. 
But God caused the Indians to help us with fish at very 
cheap rates. We had not been there many days, (although 
by our diligence we had got up a kind of shelter, to save 
our goods in,) but we had orders to come away from that 
place, (which was about Watertown,) unto a place called 
Mattapan, now Dorchester, because there was a neck of 
land fit to keep our cattle on. So we removed and came 
to Mattapan. The Indians there, also, were kind unto 
us." 

This was the first company that settled this side of Sa- 
lem, and they met with many trials and difficulties, but 
Mr. Clapp was not at all disheartened, for his heart was 



144 HISTOKY OF EASTIIAMPTON. 

taken off from temporal things, and seeing here such ad- 
vantages for serving and glorifying God, he was led to 
exclaim, " Blessed be God that brought me here." In 
the same year that he came over here, he joined himself 
a member of the church in Dorchester, where he lived, 
and continued a member of this church for sixty years. 

In 1633, in the twenty-fifth year of his age, he married 
Miss Joanna Ford, daughter of Mr. Thomas Ford, of Dor- 
chester, in England, when she was but in the seventeenth 
year of her age. She, with her parents, came over in the 
same ship with himself, and settled also here in Dorches- 
ter. They lived together fifty-seven years. She was a 
godly and exemplary woman given to hospitality ; she 
abounded in works of charity, so that, when proper ob- 
jects of pity and charity came, to her knowledge, she nev- 
er failed to relieve them herself, or procure them relief 
from others. Thus the blessings of those that were ready 
to perish came upon her. 

Mr. Clapp sustained both civil and military offices in 
the town, being captain of the militia, representative for 
the town, and authorized to join persons in marriage. On 
the 10th of August, 1665, the General Court appointed 
him captain of the Castle, (the principal fortress in the 
province,) which trust he discharged with great fidelity, 
and was therein serviceable to the whole province, and uni- 
versally respected and honored. He continued in that 
place for twenty-one years, when he voluntarily resigned 
his command. An instance showing what an interest 
Capt. Clapp had in the hearts of God's people, and what 
an extensive blessing they accounted him is this : — 

In the year 1672, he being the captain of the Castle, it 
pleased God to visit him with a fit of sickness ; and the 
good people of Dorchester, unto which church he belonged, 
kept a day of fasting and prayer, to beg his life of God. 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 145 

And God was pleased to hear and answer their prayers ; 
and when he was restored to health, they kept ,a day of 
thanksgiving. When he left the Castle, in ITS'iB, he re- 
moved to the south end of Boston, where he lived four 
years, and died February 2, 1/91, in the eighty-second 
year of his age. His wife, who was born June 8, 1617, 
lived his widow between four and five years, and died at 
Boston, in June, 1695. 

They had fourteen children, five of whom died in infan- 
cy, and three others, Thomas, who died at the age of 
fifteen years, Unite, at the age of seven. Supply, who was 
killed by the accidental firing of a gun in the Castle, at 
the age of twenty-three, were never married. The re- 
maining six, four sons and two daughters, all had families. 
They were as follows : — Samuel, Elizabeth, Preserved, 
Hopestill, Wait, Desire. The daughters, Elizabeth and 
Wait, both lived in Boston. 

Preserved, born Nov. 23, 1643, married Sarah Newber- 
ry of Windsor, and settled in Northampton, He was a 
useful citizen, and a great blessing to the town. He was 
a captain of the town, and their representative in the Gen- 
eral Court, and ruling elder in the church. For a long 
time an Indian resided in his family, but he at length be- 
came unsteady, and wanted to get his gun, in which, 
however, he did not succeed. He finally left, and was 
gone for several years, when one day, as Mr. Clapp was 
riding home from his work, an Indian stepped out from 
behind a tree, and pointing his gun at him, said, *' Now, 
'Served, me have your gun," and instantly fired. The ball 
just grazed his nose. The Indian then stepped back again, 
but his leg was not concealed, so that the ball which was 
returned wounded him. Mr. Clapp then drove on as fast 
as possible, and eluded his pursuers, a company of Indians 
who had come from Canada with this one. The wound 



146 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

was so severe that it resulted in his death, and the party 
left for parts unknown. 

Preserved Clapp had seven children who arrived at 
years of maturity, one of whom, Roger, was the father of 
Major Jonathan, one of the first settlers of Easthampton ; 
of Aaron, who also settled in Easthampton ; and of Roger, 
who lived in Southampton. 

Major Jonathan Clapp came to Easthampton not far 
from 1730, and settled where Ansel Bartlett now resides. 
He was a man of keen foresight and great energy, and was 
very prominent in the early history of the town. He was 
the ancestor of nearly all the families in town who bear 
the name of Clapp. He had three sons and eight daugh- 
ters, all of whom married, and lived to be over sixty years 
of age. They were Submit, who married Asahel Clark ; 
Hannah, married Elias Lyman, who kept tavern in South 
Farms, Northampton, in the " old long house," which was 
recently torn down ; Lois, married Jonathan Lyman ; 
Beulah, married Rev. Solomon Allen, the first minister of 
Brighton, near Rochester, N. Y. , from whom was descend- 
ed Phineas Allen, late of Pittsfield, who for nearly sixty 
years was editor of the Pittsfield Sun ; Rhoda married^ 
Col. Daniel Whittemore of Sunderland ; Merab married 
Elisha Allen of Pittsfield ; Lucy married Samuel Kellogg 
of Williamstown ; Phebe married Joseph White of 
Springfield. 

Jonathan Clapp, son of Major Jonathan, settled on the 
opposite side of the road, near his father, in the north part 
of the town. He was one of those mentioned in the no- 
tice of public houses. His children were five in number : 
Jonathan, Daniel, Medad, Mary, who married Ichabod 
Wright, and Margaret, who married Roswell Knight and 
afterwards John Ludden. Medad married Betsey Stebbins, 
and lived upon his father's place. He had two children, 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 147 

Jonathan, who died young, and Lafayette, who is engaged 
in business in Easthampton. 

Capt. Joseph Clapp, son of Maj. Jonathan, was a pro- 
minent citizen of the town. It was at his house that the 
church was organized, and in which, also, was held the 
meeting for the choice of officers, consequent upon the 
incorporation of the town of Easthampton. This house 
still stands, is now owned by Lucas W. Hannum, and 
formerly owned and occupied by Dea. Thaddeus Clapp. 
The sons of Capt. Joseph were Joseph, Thaddeus, Rufus, 
Isaac and Luther. He had, besides, two daughters, one of 
whom died in early life, and the other, Elizabeth, married 
Eliakim Phelps of Chesterfield, who afterwards settled in 
Northampton. She lived to be over eighty years of age. 

Joseph was a merchant for a number of years. He was 
for a time one of the most influential men in the place. 
He filled the office of town clerk for a longer period than any 
other man, with one exception. In 1810 he retired from 
mercantile life, but remained here until 1830, when he re- 
moved to Homer, N. Y., with his son Joseph, He had ten 
children, of whom two, Sumner G. and Aleander, were 
graduates of Yale College. The former was ordained 
and settled in the gospel ministry at Enfield, afterwards 
at Cabotville, St. Johnsbury, Vt., and Sturbridge. The 
latter studied theology at Andover, and was licensed 
to preach. He taught school in one of the Southern 
States, and afterwards at Worthington and Pittsfield. 
Alonzo, another son, engaged in mercantile pursuits in 
Illinois. 

Dea. Thaddeus was born March 31, 1770. He kept 
tavern for many years, and also, in connection with his 
father, owned and worked a fulling mill. In 1808 he was 
chosen deacon of the church, which office he held for 
thirty-three years, and during this time, as well as after his 



148 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

resignation of the office, until his death, was a faithful 
supporter of the institutions of religion. In civil affairs he 
was no less prominent. He was the first justice of the 
peace appointed in the town, and was its treasurer for 
twenty years. While Easthampton was a district, it was 
only represented in the General Court, by the privilege of 
voting in connection with Northampton. The united 
population of the two places were entitled to three repre- 
sentatives. On one occasion, when considerable interest 
was felt in the election, and perhaps some doubt as to the 
result, the Federalists of Northampton sent out word that 
if Easthampton would unite upon a man, they would sup- 
port him. Dea. Clapp was the man selected as candidate. 
He was elected, and represented the town in the General 
Court for twelve years, before the close of which time the 
district had been incorporated as a town. He was del- 
egate to the convention held in Northampton in 1812, to 
consider the duty of government on the war question, and 
also delegate, to the constitutional convention of the State. 

He had seven children who arrived at years of maturity. 
Mary married Justus Merrill of Pittsfield, where she now 
resides ; Elvira married Ansel Bartlett ; Philena married 
Spencer Clark ; Thaddeus moved to Pittsfield, where he 
engaged in manufacturing. Theodore graduated at Yale 
college in 1814, studied theology, was ordained and settled 
as pastor of the First Congregational church in New Or- 
leans. Thornton W. graduated at Williams College in 
1830, was professor of mathematics in Washington college, 
■^liss., studied theology, and was licensed to preach the 
gospel in the Episcopal church, and preached some years. 
Luther has been employed in business in his native place, 
where he now resides. 

Isaac, brother of Dea. Thaddeus, settled in the center of 
the town, a few rods south of where the Payson church 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 149 

now stands. For many years he was joint partner of the 
tloiiring mill in the place, in addition to whicli he carried 
on a farm. He had five children : — Marilla, who married 
Edwin Kingsley of Southampton ; Judith, who married 
Theodore Lyman ; Isaac K., who married Alice, daughter 
of Sylvester Knight, and now resides in Easthampton; 
Maria Ann and Edward, who also live in their native 
town. 

Luther, the youngest son of Capt. Joseph, married Tir- 
zah, daughter of Dea. Enoch White of South Hadley. He 
kept tavern quite a number of years previous to his deaths 
which occurred in 1811. His wife, who died about the 
same time, was buried in the same grave, and a monument 
erected over it which bears the following inscription: — 
"■' In memory of Capt. Luther Clapp, who died Aug, 17, 
aged 39 years, and his wife, Mrs. Tirzah Clapp, who died 
the 31st, same month, A. D. 1811, aged 38 years. Both 
fell victims to the typhoid fever. They were active, pleas- 
in,;-, benevolent, devout. 

For lis no longer mourn, 
Your souls demand your care, 
Soon you'll be hither borne. 
For death, O friends, prepare. 

Insatiate archer ! could not one suffice? Thy shaft flew 
twice, and twice it smote full sore. Scarce did the 
widowed mourner from the cold grave of a loved partner 
trace her backward steps, than death his awful mandate 
sent to call her home. Two weeks she struggled with 
disease, when death released her from her sufferings here, 
to soar on angel wings to realms of bliss. This once hap- 
py pair, who here repose, no children left their early exit 
to lament, but many friends who their sad fate will long 
bemoan. Rich in the comforts of domestic bliss, blest 
13 



150 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON, 

with the ample gifts of fortune, and more blessed with 
ample hearts, disposed to sweetest acts of charity." 

Quartermaster Benjamin Clapp, youngest son of Major 
Jonathan, was born in 1728, married Phebe Boynton from 
Coventry, Ct., and settled on the plain south of the center 
of the town. He was a soldier in the Revolutionary war 
for some time, but was obliged to leave the army to take 
charge of his father, who was taken sick in the army just 
before the battle of Bennington, and at the time of the 
action was in Pittsfield, and could hear distinctly the can- 
non roar, which so fired his youthful patriotism that he 
longed to participate in the engagement, and expressed 
this desire to his father, who replied, "No, my son, you 
must stay and take care of me." He died in 1815, at the 
age of seventy-seven. At the time of his death his men- 
tal faculties were very much impaired, and had been for 
some years. On the subject of religion, however, his 
mind continued bright till the last. Prayer and commu- 
nion with his Saviour were his delightful employments. 
His wife survived him thirty-two years, and died in De- 
cember, 1847, at the advanced age of ninety-seven years. 
She had a very genial disposition, and retained her activ- 
ity, both of body and mind, till the last year of her life. 

They had five sons and eight daughters, who arrived at 
years of maturity. Two children died in infancy. Rachel, 
born February 28, 1768, married Nathaniel Edwards of 
Northampton, where she still resides, at the advanced age 
of ninety-eight. Sophia married Rev. Gad Newell of Nel- 
son, N. H., whose daughter is the wife of Rev. John S. 
Emerson, missionary to the Sandwich Islands. Anna 
married Medad Lyman of Northampton, who afterwards 
moved to Charlotte, Vt.; Clarissa married Jonathan Ly- 
man ; Sally married Daniel Lyman ; Phebe married Levi 
Clapp ; Fanny married Jared Clark ; Caroline married 
Milton Knight, who lives now in Westhampton. 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 151 

The sons were Ocran, Solomon, Spencer, Benjamin and 
George. The first three settled in Easthampton. Ocran 
married Mrs. Sarah Brown, daughter of Captain David 
Lyman. His sons, Lorenzo and Algernon, moved to the 
West. His daughters were Florilla, Climena and Lucy, 
the last of whom married Milton Lloyd of Blandford, 
whose son, I. Homer, is now a resident of this place. 
Solomon lived on the place occupied by his father. He 
married Paulina Avery. Their children were ten in num- 
ber. William N. resides in Easthampton ; Emelus, Benja- 
min, Solomon and Theodore removed to Ohio ; George is 
a farmer in Minnesota ; Mariette is the wife of Joseph F. 
Alvord ; Sophia married Lavater Lewis of Westfield ; 
Jane E., wife of Z. A. Thayer; Amelia, wife of Wm. Hart 
of Lebanon, Ohio. Spencer, son of Benjamin, Sen., born 
1784, lived in the house built by Sergeant Corse, who first 
cleared the road leading from his house north to the cen- 
ter of the town, a distance of more than a mile in a direct 
line. The children of Spencer are, Alfred, who lives in 
Huntington ; Nelson, who lives in Plainfield ; Spencer, 
with whom his father now lives, in Winsted, Ct. ; Eliza, 
who died in early life ; Caroline, wife of Jared Smith of 
Granby ; and Lewis, who resides in Easthampton. 

Aaron Clapp, .brother of Major Jonathan, was among 
the first settlers on the plain. His wife was Jemima 
Bartlett. Their children were Ensign, Aaron, who 
removed to western New York in 1808 ; David, who was 
a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and never returned ; 
Jemima; Achsah; Eli, who removed to Southampton; Levi, 
who was a Revolutionary soldier, anj^ afterwards settled 
in Easthampton. He had only two children who lived 
to mature years : Levi, who inherited his estate, and Je- 
rusha, who married William Perkins of Southampton. 
Levi married Phebe Clapp. Their children were : Austin, 



152 HISTOKY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

who died young ; Lucius, who lived with his father ; and 
Achsah, wife of James H. Lyman, 

John Clapp, a nephew of Major Jonathan and Aaron« 
was also a soldier of the Revolution. He settled in the 
west part of the town, where his son John afterwards lived. 
The children of John Jr. are : Sophia, wife of Sylvester 
Cooper; Maurice, John M., Amos B,, all of whom live in 
their native town ; Asa D. and Eliakim^ who have moved 
away. 

Another son of John Clapp, Sen., was James, who lived 
in the center of the town. His children were Adaline, 
Helen and James, the former of whom is the wife of Rob- 
ert Dewar. James resides in Worcester. 

GENEAI^OGY OF THE CLAUK FAMILY. 

*' The name Clark was derived from the name of an 
office, and signified clerk, or learned man. This title, in 
process of time, became the surname of the person who 
held the office, and * Clericus,' afterwards Clark, became 
the cognomen or surname by which all his descendants 
were distinguished. The word ' clerk ' was also abundant- 
ly employed in the north of England, to express lawyer as 
well as priest, and this accounts for the extreme frequency 
of the name." In an ancient record of Surrey, in the 
county of Durham, England, among many others, we find 
the following entry : " Gulielmus Clercus tenet triginta 
acras et reddit unam marcam." — " William Clark holds 
30 acres, for which he pays one mark." A mark was 13s. 
4d. 

The first person of this name, who came to this coun- 
try, was Lieut. William Clark, who was born in England, 
probably in Plymouth, in Devonshire, in 1609. He was 
in Dorchester as early as 1638. From there he came to 
Northampton, probably in 1659. He was chosen one of 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 153 

the town's-men or select-men, in March, 1660, and repre- 
sentative to the "Great and General Court" in 1663. 
He was one of the eight members of the church in North- 
ampton at its organization, June 18, 1661. He died 
July 12, 1690, aged 81. His wife Sarah, died Sept. 6, 
1675. He was selectman nineteen years, and bore the 
title of " the Most Worshipful William Clark." For a 
long time he was one of the commissioners, or judges, of 
the county courts. 

He had nine children, one of whom, Samuel by name, 
had a son Samuel, whose son, Benjamin, was the father 
of Phineas Clark, who settled in the east part of the town, 
on a farm now owned by Bryant Pendleton, Several of 
his brothers and sisters were among the early inhabitants 
of Westhampton, one of whom, Elizabeth, was the moth- 
er of Rev. Justin Edwards, D. D., the well known divine, 
at one time President of Andover Theological Seminary. 
During theRevolutionary War, Mr. Clark served three years 
in the army. An incident is told of him which is interest- 
ing. On one occasion, while on guard, he discovered a 
man in the garb of an officer, approaching him. He 
hailed him with the customary, "Who's there." "A 
friend," was the reply." " Give the countersign," said 
he. " I can't do it, but my business is very urgent, I 
must pass." " Not without the countersign." " I am 
entrusted with business of great importance." The officer 
had by this time advanced almost within reach of his bay- 
onet, " Advance another step," said the guard, " and 
I'll run you through with my bayonet." The whole tone 
and manner of the officer changed. " I guess you are a 
good soldier. I can trust you." It was General Wash- 
ington. 

Again, after a tiresome march, he was placed on guard, 
and being young and in poor health, he fell asleep. In 



lai HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTOIV. 

this condition he was found by a soldier, and reported io 
the commanding ofRcer. lie was tried, and sentenced ta 
one day's imprisonment in the guard-house. His punish- 
ment would have been death, had it not been for the vol- 
untary and earnest efforts of his comrades from North- 
ampton, who plead that his state of health was such that 
he ought to hcwe been, and had before been, excused from 
guard duty. The event proved to him a great blessing. 
The next day was exceedingly hot, and some of his com- 
rades died from the exertions which they were compelled 
to make. Such would probably have been his fate, but 
for the confinement. 

In 1787, he was taken prisoner by the Shay's insur- 
rectionists, in consequence of the loyalty of his senti- 
ments, though from his state of health he had had no part 
in the endeavors to suppress rebellion. He was released, 
however, on the third day, much to the relief of his fam- 
ily, who knew not what had befallen him, since he was 
taken while absent from home. His wife was Elizabeth 
White of Hadley, who outlived him thirty-eight years, 
and died in 1847, after being permitted to see more than 
seventy of theif descendants. Th eir children were as follows : 
— Submit, who was the wife of Jonathan Parsons of South 
Farms, Northampton ; Elihu, who now resides in Granville ; 
Sylvester, who settled in the practice of medicine in 
Boston, Erie county, N. Y.; Salome, wife of Rufus Smith, 
formerly of South Hadley and Worthington, but now of 
Huntington ; Lucinda, who was the wife of Justin Cook 
of Northampton ; Silence, wife of Asa Marble of ^Yorth- 
ington ; Elizabeth, wife of Elisha King of Westhampton ; 
Erastus, settled in West Farms, Northampton ; Paulina 
lives in Westhampton ; Lydia, wife of Medad King of 
Westhampton ; Amanda, wife of Maurice Parsons, of 
Worthington ; Persis died in childhood. 



GENEALOGICAL KEGISTEK. 155 

Dea. John Clark, son of William Clark of Northamp- 
ton, had twelve children. It is of him that the late Pres- 
ident Dwight, in his " Travels in New England and New 
York," says : " One specimen of longevity and multiplica- 
tion, in a single ftimily, deserves to be recorded. Dea. 
John Clark, son of William Clark, Esq., had twelve child- 
ren. One died in infancy. Six sons and five daughters 
had families. Ebenezer, the third son, died February 27, 
1781, aged 98 years. Josiah, the youngest son, died 
April 7, 1789, aged 81. From the six sons, were de- 
scended 1158 children, grand-children, and great-grand- 
children, 928 of whom were living at the time of Josiah's 
death." 

The oldest of these sons, Dea. John Clark, Jr., was born 
Dec. 28, 1679, and married Elizabeth Cook of Hartford, 
great-grand-daughter of Major Aaron Cook. He had 
eleven children, from two of whom, Eliakim and Ithamar, 
have descended a large majority of the persons in town, 
who bear this name. A daughter, Catharine, married Dea. 
Samuel Edwards of Southampton, who was the grand- 
father of Rev. Bela B. Edwards. 

Eliakim removed to Easthampton, and settled in Pas- 
commuck. It was he who gave the land for the burial- 
place now used in that part of the town. He had three 
sons and eight daughters. All the sons, Obadiah, Asahel, 
and Job, settled near their father. 

Three of the daughters married in Easthampton. 
Esther married Jonathan Janes, Lydia married Lemuel 
Lyman, Huldah married Nathaniel White. 

Of tht"oons before mentioned, Lieut. Asahel was born 
Feb. 17, 1737, and married Submit Clapp. He was in 
the battle of Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755. He did not 
belong to the scouting party commanded by Col. Williams, 
but with others was left in defence of the fort from which 



156 HISTORY OF EASTHAiMPTON. 

this party set out. He bravely aided in the repulse of 
the enemy under Baron Dieskeau, as they rushed on, 
greatly elated with their success in the defeat of the scout- 
ing party. Lieut. Clark was also at Ticonderoga, three 
years after, when the British were defeated, with great 
carnage, in their attempt to take the fortress. British 
pride, on that occasion, saved the colonial troops from 
slaughter, since they were not allowed to participate in 
the assault. In 1788, a call was issued for volunteers to 
defend the arsenal at Springfield, against the attack of the 
Shay's party. The people of the town had responded to 
the call ; a company under the command of Capt. David 
Lyman, were already at Springfield. News however came 
that more men were wanted, and another company was 
formed, consisting of about forty men from South and 
Easthampton, most of them either older or younger than 
the members of the first. They had marched as far as the 
house of Elias Lyman, in the south part of Northampton, 
when, to their surprise, they discovered a party of 400 
men, whom they knew by the badge which they wore 
—a sprig of evergreen in their hats — to be Shay's men. 
There was not the slightest hope of successful resistance 
against such overwhelming odds, and they were taken 
prisoners. Lieut. Clark, then fifty years of age, was a 
member of this company. He was a man of high spirit, 
and could not well brook the thought of falling into the 
hands of a set of men, whom he despised from his in- 
most soul. Hoping to escape observation, he stepped 
into the house of Mr. Lyman near by, neglecting, how- 
ever, to remove the slip of white paper whickc the loyal- 
ists wore in their hats as a badge. The troops passed on, 
but, unfortunately, for him, one of the insurgents came in, 
and, seeing by the badge that he was a loyalist, seized 
him and drove him along with his gun. Before they had 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 157 

proceeded very far, Mr. Clark who had no gun, watching 
his opportunity, sprang upon his captor and attempted to 
disarm him, in which attempt however, he was unsuccess- 
ful. His resistance so exasperated the ruffian, that, 
despite his age, he dealt him a heavy blow upon his head, 
wounding him severely. This band of insurgents, which 
was from Berkshire County, marched to Pelham, where 
they retained their prisoners for about one week, when 
they were permitted to return. Lieut. Clark afterwards 
recovered damage from the person who took him prisoner. 
He died Feb. 17, 1822, on his 85th birthday. He had 
twelve children. His sons, Eliakim, Eleazer, Asahel, and 
Bohan, settled in Easthampton, and reared up families. 
Eliakim, however, afterwards removed to Otisco, N. Y., 
where he died. * 

Horace L., son of AnsonAClark, of West Springfield, ' 
and grandson of Eliakim, with the exception of a son of 
Asahel, who bears up his name, is the only descendant of 
this branch of the family who lives in the place. 

Jared, another son of Lieut. Asahel, married Fanny 
Clapp and removed to Brecksville, Ohio. Charles remov- 
ed to Otisco, N. Y., where he still resides. Two sons died 
in early life. Submit, the oldest daughter, married Ebe- 
nezer Janes, Electa was the wife of Elam Rumrill, Jerusha 
wife of Caleb Loud of Loudville, Achsah wife of Daniel 
Wright, formerly of Easthampton, but afterwards of Hunts- 
burg, Ohio. 

;' Obadiah Clark, son of Eliakim, Sen., settled where 
his grandson Zenas now resides. He was a man of un- 
usual attainments in piety and spirituality. 

His family consisted of six children, Zenas and Gains 
who died young; Esther, who died at the age of thirty-one; 
Jemima, who married Stephen Wood, Clarrissa, who mar- 
ried Andrew Howard of West Springfield ; Thaddeus, 



158 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

who married Tamasind, daughter of Ezekiel Wood, and 
settled in his native place. He was an earnest Christian 
and a pillar in the church to which he belonged. He had 
six children, of whom one died in infancy and two 
others, Thaddeus and Philena, died unmarried, though 
they lived to mature years. The other three, Obadiah, 
Zenas, and Deacon E. Alonzo, are now residents of the 
town. 

Job Clark, son of Eliakim, Sen., and brother of Lieut 
Asahel, was born Sept. 10, 1733, and married Eunice 
Strong. He built the house where his grandson, Henry 
Clark now resides. He had six children. Sereno and 
Ruth died in early life ; Eunice married Asa Ferry ; 
Luther moved to Skaneateles, N. Y., but afterwards re- 
turned ; Spencer settled in Easthampton ; Job, who gradu- 
ated at Williams College, studied medicine, and practised 
many years in Westfield. He now resides in Massilon, 
Ohio. 

Luther married Deborah Robinson, and lived on his 
father's place. He had five sons, all of whom settled in 
Easthampton, viz.: Luther, Alanson, Jason, Horace, Henry. 
The four last named are at present resident in town. The 
oldest, Capt. Luther Clark, died in 1865. He had been 
a man of considerable influence in town, had several times 
represented it in the Legislature, and had, during a period 
of eighteen years, served on the board of selectmen. In 
this family there was also five daughters, Emeline, wife o^ 
Ozro C. Wright of Northampton, Maria, wife of Luther 
M. Fairfield of Holyoke, Harriet , who died in early life, 
Elvira, Cordelia, wife of Theodore Clark. 

Ithamar Clark, son of Dea. John, Jr., and brother of 
Eliakim, Sen., was a resident of Northampton. His family 
consisted of nine sons and one daughter. One of the sons, 
Oliver, born Jan. 13, 1756, moved to Easthampton, and 



GENEALOGICx\L REGISTER. 159 

built a house in the west part of the town, where the wid- 
ow of Dea. Ithamar Clark until recently, resided. He 
was married twice, and was the father of nineteen child- 
ren. Of these, Azariah, born Sept. 17,1778, graduated 
at Williams College in 1805, being the first inhabitant of 
Easthampton who received a collegiate education. He 
studied theology ; was settled in Canaan, N. Y.; after- 
wards removed to Colebrook, Ct., where he died in 1832. 
Julius, born Dec. 17, 1779, had a family of seven children, 
lived in Northampton, on the place now occupied by Abner 
Wade. Simeon, the oldestson, was born Feb. 10, 1777, and 
spent the greater part of his life in Easthampton. He 
was a carpenter by trade, and was often entrusted with 
the care of difficult pieces of work. Among other things, 
he built a bridge across Mill river in Northampton, about 
the year 1820. He finally went to Huntsburg, Ohio, 
where he died. His children were eight in number, viz : 
Simeon Parsons, Coleman, Mercy, Tertius, Esther, Lewis, 
Diana, Abner Laurens. The oldest, Simeon Parsons, 
lived in his native -town, and followed the occupation of 
his father. He was the father of Edmund W. and George 
P. Clark, the former of whom now resides here. Coleman 
and Lewis now live in Ohio ; Mercy married Abner 
Wade ; Tertius, recently deceased, occupied the old place ; 
Laurens is at present an inhabitant of the town, though he 
has most of the time lived elsewhere. 

Another son of Oliver Clark, Sen., was Oliver, who 
wasbt)rn August 17, 1785. He settled on a part of the 
old homestead of his father. He was a very active, ener- 
getic man. In 1820 he was chosen Captain of the Militia 
Company and was engaged to some extent in public busi- 
ness. He died at the early age of thirty-seven, leaving 
six sons, viz : Rufus, Josephus, Lysander, Nelson, Freder- 
ick, and John Milton, the last of whom owns and carries on 



160 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

the farm of his father. Lysander resides in Clyde, N. 
Y., Nelson in Easthampton, and Frederick in Springfield. 
Rufus moved to Hartford, Ct., and Josephus to Aurora, 
Ind., where they died. 

Dea. Ithamar, the youngest son of Oliver Clark, Sen., 
was born October 27, 1802. He was killed April 3d, 1857, 
while engaged in drawing stone. He was the father of 
Rev. Edson L. Clark, who graduated at Yale College, 
studied theology at Union Theological Seminary, and is 
now pastor of the Congregational church in Dalton. 

Capt. Philip Clark, a second cousin of Lieut. Asahel and 
of Oliver, was in the fourth generation from Lieut. Wil- 
liam, who first came from England. He lived in Pascom- 
muck, was one of the first school-teachers in the town, 
was also one of the forty-six original members of the church, 
and its first clerk. Although politically opposed to a ma- 
jority of the voters, he was as prominent in town affairs 
as any one. He was quite frequently chosen to preside 
over the deliberations of the town, and for a number of 
years filled the position of selectman with credit. He has 
quite a numerous posterity. 

Elam Clark, his son, married Dorcas Brown, and 
settled in Pascommuck. He had six daughters, four of 
whom married in Easthampton. Dorcas, wife of Parsons 
Janes ; Rachel, wife of Lyman Avery ; Triphenia, wife 
of John Wright ; and Dorothy, wife of Solomon Ferry. 
The oldest son, Elam C. Clark, graduated in Williams Col- 
lege in 1812, studied theology, and was ordained pastor 
of a church in Providence, R. I. He died in Suffield, Ct. 
Julius lived on the old homestead, where two of his sons, 
Julius F., and Austin P., now reside. His oldest son, 
Sheldon, also lives in the town. His daughter Celia mar- 
ried Joseph Parsons, Bela lived where his son, Theodore, 
now does. ' He had a family of five sons, viz : Theodore, 
Willianij Edward, Alfred, Charles. 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 161 

Uriel Clark, another son of Capt. Fhilip, married Han- 
nah Janes, Dec. 30, 1782, and settled on the old home- 
stead. He had two daughters, one of whom, Susannah, 
married Manly Street, and the other, Anna, married Chaun- 
cey Parsons. He had also three sons, Uriel, Saul, and 
Philip. Philip inherited his father's estate. He had five 
children, Lawrence, Uriel, Gilbert A., Melancey, Martha, 
of whom the last mentioned was the first wife of J. Emer- 
son Lyman. The sons Uriel and Gilbert A., now reside on 
their father's place, which, it will be seen, has descended, 
through successive generations, to its present owners. 

GENEALOGY OF THE LYMAN FAMILY. 

The coat of arms of the Lyman family may be thus de- 
scribed. Arms — azure, on which appear 3 dolphins, na- 
tant. Crest — a sword unsheathed. Underneath the 
shield, on a band, is inscribed the motto, " Factis non 
Verbis,' — " By deeds not words." In regard to the dol- 
phin as an armorial bearing Sloane's Evan's British Her- 
aldry says : — " The dolphin which is a much esteemed and 
ancient bearing has been said to be the hieroglyphic of 
Charity, Parental Afi'ection and Society, there being no 
other fish which loves the society of men." The unsheath- 
ed sword would seem to refer to some military achieve- 
ment of the ancestors, or perhaps to the readiness of the 
family to meet the calls of patriotism. The above des- 
cribed coat of arms is found in one branch of the Lyman 
family ; but it would seem not to be universally accepted 
as the coat of arms of the family, since there is, in another 
branch, one difi'ering somewhat from this, though having 
points of resemblance. 

Richard Lyman came from England in 1631, in the 
time of King Charles I, and settled in Roxbury, where he 
lived in some state, having two servants. He was a mem- 
14 



162 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

ber of the church of Rev. John Elliot. He brought with 
him his wife Sarah, and five children, Phillis, Richard, Sa- 
rah, John and Robert. Late in the year 1635, he remov- 
ed through the woods with others to Hartford. On his 
way thither, he lost some of his cattle, and suffered much 
the ensuing winter at Hartford, in consequence of which 
he became melancholy, though he afterwards recovered 
from this state of mind. '* He was an ancient Christian, 
but weak, yet, after some years of trial and quickening, he 
joined the church." His name, with ninety-nine others, 
first settlers of Hartford, is inscribed on a monument in 
an ancient cemetery in that place. He died in the year 
1640. 

His three sons, Richard, John and Robert, were among 
the first settlers in Northampton in 1655, and all died 
there, leaving families, though Robert had no male issue. 
He was a hunter and trapper, and is said to have perished 
on Roberts' Hill. He discovered the lead mines in the 
south-west part of Northampton, which are noticed in the 
ancient records of that town. Richard had a numerous 
posterity, some of whom settled in Lebanon, Ct. Another 
branch went to Durham, Ct., while another remained at 
Northampton. 

Lieut. John Lyman, son of Richard, was born in Eng- 
land, in September, 1623, and died August 20, 1690. He 
was in command of the Northampton soldiers, in the fa- 
mous Falls fight above Deerfield, May 18, 1676. His 
wife was Dorcas Plum of Branford, Ct. The American 
House, which was burnt a few years since in Northampton, 
stood in front of his house lot. His children were, Eliza- 
beth, Sarah, John, Moses, Dorothy, Mary, Experience, 
Joseph, Benjamin, and Caleb. The oldest son, John, was 
born in 1661, married Mindwell Sheldon in 1687, and died 
November 8, 1740. In the latter part of his life, he lived 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 163 

east of Mt. Tom, and kept a public house, where his 
son Elias, afterwards kept tavern, near Smith's Ferry. 

Benjamin, another of the sons, was born in 1674. He 
married Thankful, a grand-daughter of Eltweed Pomeroy, 
who came from England. Their family consisted of nine 
sons and three daughters, viz : Joseph, Benjamin, Benja- 
min, Aaron, Caleb, William, Daniel, Elihu, Medad, 
Eunice, Hannah, and Susannah. Joseph settled in North 
ampton, and was the father of Joseph and Elisha, the for- 
mer of whom was the father of Judge Joseph Lyman, who 
graduated at Yale College in 1783, and grandfather of 
Samuel F. Lyman, Esq., now Judge of Probate and In- 
solvency. William was the father of Gen. William Ly- 
man, who was at one time consul at London. Daniel 
removed to New Haven, and engaged in mercantile pur- 
suits. 

Benjamin was born in 1703, and married Mary Mosely 
of Glastenbury, Ct. He, together with Stephen Wright, 
purchased " School Meadow," and afterwards moved to 
Easthampton, and built a house where Joel Bassett now 
resides. He was one of the early and constant suppor- 
ters of Rev. Jonathan Edwards. He was one of the 
nineteen who voted to retain him as pastor of the church 
in Northampton, at the time of the opposition to him. 
He died in 1762, aged 59. His children were Benjamin, 
born in 1727 ; Lemuel, born in 1735 ; David, born in 1737 ; 
and four daughters, Molly, Thankful, Esther and Patty 
Capt. David lived where S. M. Lyman now does. He has 
no descendants of the Lyman name. He had four 
daughters who married and lived in this town. They 
were as follows : Sarah, who first married Eli Brown and 
afterwards Ocran Clapp ; Eunice married Job Strong, the 
father of A. L. Strong ; Rachel married Sylvester Knight, 
who was the father of Hon. H. G. Knight ; Fidelia was 
the wife of Solomon Pomeroy. 



164 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Benjamin built a house on the plain, where his grand- 
son, Rev. Solomon Lyman, now lives. He was very- 
active and influential in the formation of the church and 
district. To him was directed the warrant, to call togeth- 
er the citizens to the first meeting of the district after its 
organization. Robert Breck, Esq., who was empowered 
by act of General Court to issue his warrant to some prom- 
inent citizen, was chosen Moderator of the first meeting. 
Mr. Lyman was chosen Moderator of the second meeting, 
and he occupied that position many times thereafter. In 
church matters, he was also a leader. Before the settle- 
ment of a pastor, it was needful that there be a mod- 
erator, who could legally call meetings of the church, 
an office to which he was appointed. At one of the 
earliest business meetings of the church, he was 
chosen Deacon, which office he accepted, and per- 
formed its duties till his death in June, 1798. He was a 
man of ardent piety, a faithful servant of Christ, and 
when he laid his armor down, we doubt not, he entered 
upon his reward. 

His children were Benjamin, Solomon, Hannah, Polly, 
Ruth, Dorotha, and Mercy. The daughters all married, 
removed from town, and all lived past middle life. Of the 
sons, the first mentioned built a house, where his grand- 
son, Ansel B., now lives. Solomon remained on his fath- 
er's place. He married Lois, daughter of Jonathan 
Janes, Sen. In 1807, he was chosen deacon, in which 
capacity he served eighteen years. His family consisted 
of four daughters and one son. The daughters were, 
Theodosia, Lois, Susan, and Mercy. His son Solomon 
graduated at Yale College in 1822, studied theology, was 
ordained a minister of the gospel, settled in Keesville, 
N. Y., afterwards at Poultney, Vt. He now resides in 
his native town. 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 165 

The family of Benjamin were Jeremiah, Theodorus, 
who lives in Ohio, Polly, Eunice, Clarissa, Ansel, and 
Louisa, the last two of whom died in youth. The oldest 
occupied his father's place, and spent his life there. His 
family consisted of the following children, viz : — Theresa, 
who married Rev. Addison Lyman, and died in Geneseo, 
111. ; Louisa, who married James O. Waite of Hatfield ; 
Ansel B., who is a resident of this town ; Adelle S., and 
Henry Martyn, who until recently has resided in Minnesota. 

Lemuel Lyman, born August 28, 1735, married Lydia, 
daughter of Eliakim Clark, and lived on his father's 
place. He was in the memorable battle of Lake George, 
Septembers, 1775. Soon after this, he, with others, was 
sent with a drove of cattle for the northern army. It was 
supposed, that, in this expedition, by the privations and 
exposures which he endured, he laid the foundation for 
the rheumatism, a disease, which in later years, rendered 
him to some extent, unable to perform manual labor. He 
was a member of the board of selectmen for seven years, 
and one of the leaders in the establishment of a church, 
and the erection of a house of worship. He was a man 
of great physical strength, and was quick to perceive the 
best method of action in a moment of danger. He had a 
very retentive memory, great presence of mind, and native 
energy of character. He died July 16, 1810, aged 74. 
His children were Lydia, who married Ebenezer K. Rust 
of Southampton, Lemuel, Justus, Ahira, Sylvester, Dan- 
iel, Esther, who married Obadiah Janes, and Elihu. All 
the sons settled in Easthampton, and were men of consid- 
erable influencG in the town, and all have posterity resid- 
ing here at the present day. 

Capt. Lemuel, married Olive Lyman of Norwich. His 
trade was that of carpenter and joiner, although he owned 
and lived on a farm. About the year 1800, he superin- 
14* 



166 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

tended the removal of a dam across the Connecticut 
river at South Hadley Canal, which stood about two miles 
above the present dam, and set the water back into 
the meadows, occasioning much sickness. In answer 
to a petition on the subject the legislature ordered 
its removal. His children were Dwight, Theodore, Den- 
nis, and Theodosia, all of whom lived in their native town. 
Theodosia married Augustus Clapp. 

Justus owned and occupied a farm adjoining that of his 
brother. He was a man of influence in the affairs of the 
town, which he served in the capacity of selectman, 
eleven years. He had three children, George, Charles, 
and E. Waldo, the latter of whom settled on his father's 
place. 

Ahira located himself on the plain, west of the center, 
building for himself the house now occupied by Elijah A. 
Lyman. He was a very active and prosperous business 
man, both as a farmer and mechanic. His death occurred 
November 1, 1836, in consequence of a severe wound in 
his foot, made by an axe. His children were, Roland, who 
removed to Lowell, where he now resides, Lemuel P., 
Ahira, Quartus P., William, and Jabez B., the latter of 
whom graduated at Amherst College in 1841, resided in 
Germany some years, where he was a student in one of 
the Universities. He was afterwards principal of a Female 
Seminary in Abbeville, S. C. He was for a time estab- 
lished as an oculist in Chicago, but for several years has 
been engaged in the practice of surgery in Rockford, 111. 
The others mentioned remained in their native place, 
except Ahira, who lived on Park Hill, just within the lim- 
its of Northampton. He, however, now resides in East- 
hampton. 

Sylvester lived on the place first purchased by Benjamin 
Lyman, on his removal from Northampton, owning and 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 167 

working the farm. He was chosen deacon in 1813, and 
continued in the office twenty years. His children were, 
S. Mosely, who lives in his native place, Ursula, who was 
the first wife of Dea. Ithamar Clark, Naomi, who married 
Warren Montague of Sunderland, Sylvester, who resides 
in Hartford, J. Emerson, who died a few years since in his 
native place, Elizabeth, wife of E. L. Snow, Tirzah, wife 
of E. S. Hoadley, and Edwin who lives in Bridgeport, Ct. 
Daniel married Sally, daughter of Benjamin Clapp, and 
lived on Park Hill, where his son, Lauren D., now lives. 
He was a man of more than ordinary religious feeling, a 
devoted friend and warm supporter of the institutions of 
religion, and a pillar in the prayer-meetings of the church 
and neighborhood. He died September 23, 1853. His 
children were Daniel F., Josiah, Addison, Horace, Sarah 
B., Lauren D,, and James H. Josiah graduated at Wil- 
liams College in 1836, studied Theology, was licensed to 
preach, afterwards principal of an academy in Williston, 
Vt., and then of the academy in Lenox, where he still 
lives. Addison graduated at Williams College in 1839, 
studied Theology, entered the service of the Home Mis- 
sionary Society, and is now a preacher in Sheffield, 111. 
He was for a time principal of an academy in Geneseo, 111. 
Horace graduated at Williams College in 1842, ordained 
an evangelist, and was employed as a Home Missionary at 
Portland, and Dallas, Oregon. He is now Professor of 
Mathematics, in Pacific University, at Forest Grove in 
that state. He went to Oregon about the time of the 
California gold excitement, and was largely instrumental 
in the gathering of two churches at the places mentioned. 
The primary object of the institution in which he is now 
engaged is to raise up men to supply the need of ministe- 
rial labor there. The other sons, Daniel F., Lauren D., 
and James H., are citizens of their native town. 



168 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Elihu, the youngest and only surviving son, lives at 
present with his son William J. in this town. In early 
life he intended to get an education, and for this purpose 
entered Williams College, of which he was a member un- 
til the Junior year, when he was compelled to leave in 
consequence of weakness of eyes. He has lived since in 
New Lebanon, N. Y., and in Williamsburg, but spent the 
greater portion of the active period of life in his native 
town. His children were Alfred E, , who settled in Williams- 
burg, but now resides in Brooklyn ; Eliza, who married 
John G. Mallory ; William J.; Mary Ann, who married 
William Leonard ; Cornelia, who married Elisha H. Rice; 
Nancy, who was the wife of Thaddeus K. Wright of West- 
hampton. Three children, Martha, Ann^Jane, and Curtis, 
died unmarried. William J. is the only one of these children 
who now reside in their native place. For many years he 
carried on the business of wagon making in this town, 
but for some years past has been employed as a patent right 
dealer, and also as a patentee. 

GENEALOGY OF THE WRIGHT FAMILY. 

Dea. Stephen Wright, one of the purchasers of School 
Meadow, was a great-grandson of Dea. Samuel Wright, 
one of the first settlers of Springfield. He was a resident 
of that town as early as 1641. After Rev. Mr. Moxon, 
first minister of Springfield, returned to England, Dea. 
Wright " was employed to dispense the word of God in 
this place," and was allowed fifty shillings a month for his 
services. Other laymen were also employed in the same 
way. Dea. Wright was also one of the first settlers of 
Northampton, whither he removed in 1656 or 7, and 
where he died in 1665. His brother, Nathaniel, was a 
merchant in London, and was interested in the Winthrop 
Colony in 1630. Their father, it is said, was John 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 169 

Wright, of Kelvedon, and their grandfather, John Wright, 
of Wrightsbridge, in Essex, about forty miles east of 
London. 

Samuel Wright, oldest son of Dea. Samuel, lived in 
Northampton. One of his sons, Capt. Benjamin, was a 
noted Indian fighter, and was finally slain by them at 
Northfield. Another son, Samuel, had eight children, 
one of whom, Stephen, was chosen deacon of the church 
in Northampton, in 1739, but removed to Easthampton, 
probably about 1744. His house, which stood where 
Samuel Hurlburt now lives, on the hill just west of Saw- 
mill brook, then stood within the limits of Southampton. 
Sergeant Eliakim Wright, his son, was killed in the battle 
of Lake George. Job, another son, graduated at Yale 
College in 1757, and was settled in the ministry at 
Bernards ton, where he died. In this connection it may 
not be uninteresting to remark, that when he graduated, 
and for several years thereafter, the names of the gradu- 
ates were not arranged alphabetically, but according to the 
standing of the family to which they belonged. 

Stephen, another of the sons, married Catherine Shel- 
don, daughter of Noah Sheldon, of Southampton. He 
settled on the plain south of the meeting house, and built 
the house until recently occupied by his grandson, John 
Wright. In 1786 he was chosen deacon of the church, in 
which capacity he served twenty-one years. 

His children were Catherine, who died in childhood, 
Eliakim, Stephen, Catherine, who married Justin Clark 
of Southampton, Gideon, Noah, Hezekiah, Luther. Elia- 
kim, born in 1757, married Mrs. Martha Matthews, widow 
of Dea. Gideon Matthews of Chester. He lived a little 
way north of his father's residence. He was a man of 
more than ordinary ability, and possessed of good judg- 
ment, though somewhat eccentric. In early life he enter- 



170 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

tained the idea of preparing for the ministry, but he finally 
abandoned it. His piety was of a deep and earnest type, 
and exercised a controlling influence over his life. 

Stephen, born in 1758, married Sarah Lyman, daughter 
of Dea. John Lyman of Southampton, and settled in the 
south part of the town. His daughter, Sarah, married 
Zenas Clark, and Lucy married John Wright. His oldest 
son, John, succeeded to his estate. He was an energetic 
and prosperous farmer, and acquired considerable property. 
He died in December, 1857. 

Hezekiah lived on the old homestead, where his son, 
John Wright, now lives. His daughter, Dorotha, married 
Luke Janes, Abigail married Sidney Ferry, Harriet mar- 
ried John Y. Smith, a resident of Madison, Wis. 
Besides these, there were three children, John the old- 
est, who died in infancy, Hezekiah, who died at the age 
of twenty-six, and Emily, who died in early life. 

Luther married Sarah Lyman, daughter of Jonathan Ly- 
man of Northampton, and settled near his father, about a 
mile south of the meeting house. He carried on the tail- 
or's trade many years. He died Jan. 1, 1860, aged 85. 
Mrs. Wright is still alive. This couple sustained the 
marriage relation for sixty-four years. Their children 
were six in number : — Luther, E-oxanna, who married Jo- 
seph Marsh of Hadley, Sally, Theodore, Julia, who mar- 
ried Sidney S. Avery, Clarrissa, who married Rev. Charles 
Lord. 

Luther graduated at Yale College in 1822, was for sev- 
eral years tutor in that college ; then licensed to preach the 
gospel ; was afterwards employed Associate Principal of a 
school in Ellington, Ct., and as Principal of Leicester 
Academy. In 1841, on the opening of Williston Semi- 
nary for the admission of students, he was called to the 
position of Principal, which he accepted. After his resig- 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 171 

nation of that position in 1849, he taught a private Clas- 
sical School for several years. He still resides in this 
place. Great credit is due to him for his labors as Princi- 
pal of Williston Seminary. By the thoroughness of his 
instruction and discipline, the school acquired under him 
a character which, in connection with its munificent en- 
dowment, speedily gave it a place among the first academ- 
ical institutions of our country. Since his retirement 
from that position, he has been prominent among those 
whose efibrts have been put forth in the interests of edu- 
cation in his native town. 

In this connection it may not be out of place, without 
injustice to others, to mention E. A. Hubbard, for many 
years instructor in the mathematical and philosophical de- 
partment of Williston Seminary, as another who has taken 
great interest in the cause of education, in our community, 
as well as elsewhere. 

Some years since Mr. Wright delivered a very able ad- 
dress before the Young Men's Association of Easthampton, 
in regard to the early history of the town. This Histori- 
cal Sketch was published, and from it, as well as from the 
semi-centennial sermon of Rev. Mr. Williston, we have 
derived essential aid. 

Theodore L. entered Yale College, in 1825, but owing 
ill health, he remained not quite two years. In 1833 he 
received the honorary degree of A. M. from that college. 
For a time he was employed as Principal of the Hartford 
City Grammar School, but is now engaged in business in 
Wisconsin. 

Elijah Wright, brother of Dea. Stephen, and son of him 
who first settled in the town, was born August 22, 1733, 
married Mary Strong, daughter of Ichabod Strong of 
Southampton, and lived on the farm which his father 
bought when he first moved his residence from North- 



172 HISTORY OF E AS THAMPTON. 

ampton. His family consisted of five daughters and four 
sons. His oldest daughter, Mary, married Benjamin Ly- 
man ; Hannah married Enos Janes ; Esther married 

Russell of Warwich ; Eunice married Benoni Clark of 
Westhampton ; Asenath married Jonathan Connable of Ber- 
nards ton. His four sons, Elijah, Daniel, Medad, and Ich- 
abod, lived in their native town. Daniel married and 
lived on his father's place. Elijah, the oldest son, born 
August 30, 1765, built a house on the same farm, the 
one now owned by his son Samuel. His employment 
was that of a tanner and shoemaker. His death occurred 
January 8, 1814. His wife was Naomi Kingsley, a na- 
tive of Westhampton. She survived her husband forty- 
three years. Their children were two, Naomi, who mar- 
ried Col. Thomas Pomeroy of Northampton, and Samuel, 
who still resides on his father's place. In early life he 
taught considerable in Common Schools, and in later years 
was often a member of the General School Committee. 
Elijah H., his son, graduated at Amherst College in 1842, 
and studied medicine in Hanover, N. H., and at Charles- 
ton, S. C. He then settled in Marietta, Ga., where he ac- 
quired quite an extensive medical practice. 

Ichabod, youngest son of Elijah, Sen., born August 24, 
1776, removed to Park Hill, and occupied the house built 
by Joaiah Phelps. He married Mary Clapp, daughter of 
Jonathan Clapp. He was a prominent member of the 
church, an active, working Christian, ever ready to stand 
in his lot and bear his part in the work of the church. 
Often the weekly neighborhood prayer meeting was held 
at his house, and when it was at the school-house, or else- 
where, he was almost always present, ready, by prayer and 
exhortation, to contribute to the interest and profit of the 
occasion. These neighborhood gatherings for social pray- 
er and conference, were a source of great spiritual profit 



GENEALOOICAL REGISTER. 173 

,to those who attended them, and tlirou^h them to the 
whole district, as well as to the church. His death occurred 
in 1 844. Kis children were Horace, Ichabod Strong, 
Edmund, J. Rockwell, and Russell M. Horace owned 
and worked a tannery for a number of years, at Roberts 
Meadow, in Northampton ; afterwards removed to Syra- 
cuse, N. Y., and now resides in St. Louis, Mo. I. Strong 
resides in Brooklyn. Edmund graduated at Williams 
College in 1836 ; studied theology at East Windsor, Ct.; 
was ordained minister of the pospel ; labored as a home 
missionary for mmy years in Weston, Mo.; afterwards was 
pastor of a church in St. J^ouis, Mo,, and has been Secre- 
tary of the Home Missionary Society in that State. He 
is a faithful laborer, and has been the means of great good 
to those for whom he has labored. J. Rockwell lived on 
the old homestead for many years, but finally sold it, and 
removed to South Hadley, where he now resides. Russell 
M. graduated at Williams College in 1841, and was one 
of the early and efficient teachers of Williston Seminary. 
He afterwards removed to Georgia, where he was employed 
as Principal of a female educational institution, located at 
Athens. On the breaking out of the war, he returned to 
his native place, and is liow Instructor in Natural Sciences 
in Williston Seminary. 

GEN'EALOGY OF THE JANES FAMILY. 

This family originally came from. Kirtling, in the county 
of Cambridge, England, where it had been seated in 1235, 
when William de Janes, in fulfillment of a vow, made a 
pilgrimage to the tomb of our Saviour at Jerusalem. 

Th& coat of arms of the family is thus described : — 
Arms — Argent — a lion rampant — azure — between three 
escallop shells — gules — Crest-Out of a ducal coronet, gold, 
15 



\ 



174 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

a demi-lion, rampant — azure — holding between tKe paws 
an escallop shell — gules. 

The lion rampant in the arms, shows that the ancestor 
had won a battle, while in command of the forces engaged. 
The escallop shells show that he had made a pilgrimage 
to the Holy Land. The ducal coronet was given to those 
who held command in the armies of the sovereign duke 
of the French Confederation. 

William Janes, a native of Cambridge, England, came 
to this country from Essex, and first established himself 
in New Raven, Conn., probably as early as 1638. In 
1654 or 5, he came to Northampton, and in 1657 was 
chosen Recorder of Laws, which office he retained for 
twenty years. He also conducted religious services on the 
Sabbath. Two of his children, Ebenezer and Jonathan, 
were slain at Northfield, Sept. 2, 1675, whin that town 
was attacked by the Indians. His daughter Ruth married 
the first John Searl of Northampton, whose son John, to- 
gether with three children, were killed by the Indians at 
Pascommuck, at the time of the massacre there. Benja- 
min Janes, son of William, removed to Easthampton about 
the year 1700. His was one of the first five families who 
dwelt in Pascommuck. At the time of the massacre there, 
two of his children were put to death, and his wife was 
taken to the top of Pomeroy's mountain, scalped, and left 
for dead. She however, was found, and taken to North- 
ampton., where she recovered. She lived afterwards until 
she was more than eighty years old. Mr. Janes subse- 
quently went to Coventry, Coim,, probably in company 
with " a number of respectable persons from Northamp- 
ton," who went about that time. 

Samuel Janes, another son of William, married- Sarah 
Hinsdale of Deerfield, daughter of Samuel Hinsdale, who 
was slain at Bloody Brook, in 1675. He also moved to 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 175 

Easthampton, about 1700, and was one of the first five 
settlers in Pascommuck. In 1701, he, with his wife and 
three children, Obadiah, Ebenezer, and Sarah, were slain 
by the Indians. Samuel, his oldest son, then aboat eleven 
years of age, was taken prisoner. Just before the savages 
encountered Capt. John Taylor's troop of cavalry, they 
knocked him in the head and left him, doubtless supposing 
they had killed him. He however recovered from the ef- 
fects of the blow, was one of those who re-settled his 
nafive village, and was the ancestor of all the persons 
bearing the name of Janes in this town, besides a rumer- 
ous posterity in other parts of the country. His daughter 
Rach?! married Capt, Philin Clark. He had four sons, 
all of whom settled in Easthampton. Their names were 
Samuel, Jonathan, Obadiah, Elisha. 

In early life, Obadiah Janes was a teacher of common 
schools. In 1788 he was cl\osen deacon of the church, 
which office he held nineteen years. His wife was Beulah 
Lyman, daughter of ^bner Lyman of Northampton, to 
whom he was much attached,.' She was a woman of strong 
mind and ardent piety. Thi^ couple sustained the marriage 
relation during the long period of fifty-seven years. Of 
them ic might be said '•' they were lovely and pleasant in 
th'^ir lives and in death they vvere not divided " Both 
died in 1817, in the eighty-eighth year of their life. His 
death occurred first, but his wife survived only about two 
weeks. He lived on the place now occupied by Elisha 
Parsons, almost within a stone's throw ot Connecticut 
river, yet it is said that he never crossed it. They were 
not blessed with children, but were blessed with large 
hearts, and consequently became " Uncle and Aunt " to 
no small portion of the community. Many persons now 
living, no doubt recall with pleasure, the hours spent in 
their younger days, beneath the hospitable roof of " Uncle 
Diah and Aunt Beulah." 



176 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

In the same house with him, lived his brother Elisha. 
He had three daughters : Sarah, who mairied Asahel Par- 
sons; Rachel, who married Joel Parsons; Mercy, who mar- 
ried Capt. Thaddeus Parsons. 

Jonathan Janes, son of Samuel, settled where Waldo 
Prouty now resides. He was present at the surrender of 
Louisburg to the British and American forces, July 26, 
1758. He died in 1825, being the oldest person who ever 
lived in this town. His age was ninety-nine years. He 
had a great propensity for story telling, and was, withal, 
quite witty. The following, related of him, will seive as 
an illustr^ition On one occasion, a w'ld steer belonging 
to him, escaped from his enclosure, and, upon search being 
made, was found upon the summit of Mt. Tom. Those 
who were in search of him, attempted to drive him, but 
the animal, actuated by fear, probably, leaped from a ledge, 
and was killed. Mr. Janes afterwards, in relating the 
circumstance to some one, concluded by saying, " It most 
ruined his hide." He had three daughters : Esther ; Lois, 
who married Dea. Solomon Lyman ; and Rebekah, who 
married Daniel Wiight. Of his four sons, Ebenezer, Jon- 
athan, Parsons, Obadiah, the oldest moved to Napoli, N. 
Y., while the other three lived in Easthampton. 

Jonathan, born Jan. 1, 1771, married Rachel, daup-hter 
of Capt. Philip Clark, and moved to the center or the 
town, where he built the house in which his grandson, 
Edwin S. Janes, now lives. His children were Lovveil E., 
who resides in Easthampton ; Rachel married Ezekiel 
White; Jonathan, who died in early life; Jason, whose 
home is in Brecksville, Ohio ; two daughters, who died 
young ; Spenc€r, who lived on his father's farm. He died 
in September, 1854, and his place is now occupied by his 
son, Edwin S. Janes. 

Obadiah Janes married Esther, daughter of Lemuel Ly- 



OKNBALOGICAL REGISTER. 177 

man, and aftcrw trds Mary Chapman, daiiofhter of David 
Chapman. He kf^pt store near the hotel, where Ebenezer 
Ferry formerly lived, and where he for a time kept store. 
He had eleven children, none of whom settled in E st- 
harnpton. Of these, Esther, married Coleman Clark. 
Theodore learned the trade of book-binding and settled 
in Boston. Hamilton and Ellsworth now reside in Prince- 
ton, III., the former a farmer, and the latter a photograph- 
er. Lyman lived in Hadley. Francis and Justus entered 
the ministry. 

Francis graduated at Williams, in 1830; studied 
theology at Auburn, N. Y., and labored in several different 
places in Central New York. He was last ;it Colchester, 
where he died Jan. 20, 1855. 

In speaking of him the Inflependeut said : *• In every 
church where he has labored, God has blessed his instru- 
mentality with precious revivals, and as the fruits of these 
revivals, about 3-00 have been gathered into the churches 
under his care. He was noted for his arrlent piety, implic- 
it f lith, and a heart full of Christian sympathy and knowl- 
edge. He was a man full of ftiith and the Holy Spirit. 
During his whole ministry he lost not a Sabbath or a day 
from sickn. ss." 

To this \ery faithf;jl notice of him, it may be added, that 
his early advantages for gaining knowledge were limited, 
and, moreover, he was naturuily rather slov/ in its acquire- 
ment. He was dependent upon his own exertions for 
funds to support him in his collegiate course, and had it 
not been for his indomitable energy, and untirin.c perse- 
verance, str?ni^thened by a warm-hearted Christian zeal, 
h^ would have yielded to the seemingly insurmountable 
obstacles that opposed him. and relinquished the idea of 
acquiring an education. Had he done s •, the ministry 
would have been deprived of one of its brightest ornaments. 
15* 



1^78 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

Justus Janes, brother of Francis, graduated at Amherst 
College ; studied theology, and labored many years in 
various places in New York. He is now pastor of the 
Presbyterian Church in Chester, Ohio. He has been a man 
of extensive usefulness, beloved' by all who have known 
him. 

Parsons Janes, another of the four brothers last referred 
lo, married Dorcas, daughter of Elam Clark, and settled 
on his father's farm. His family consisted of eight daugh- 
ters and one son, all of whom married, and lived in East- 
hampton, Edwin, the son, married Catherine Wright; 
Dorcas was the wife of Joel Parsons ; Triphenia, wife of 
Wm. N. Clapp; Jlilia, wife of C. Edson Wait ; Lois, wife 
of Horace Clark ; Martha, wife of Chester Wait ; Har- 
riet, wife of C. Edson Wait; Emily, wife of William N. 
Clapp; Elvira, wife of Waldo Prouty. 

Samuel Janes, the other son of Samuel, married Han- 
nah Brown, and settled on the place now occupied by 
Alanson Clark. His family consisted, of tive sons and two 
daughters, viz : Noah, Samuel, Enos, Asahel, Seth, Han- 
nah, Sarah. 

Seth lived for many years on the old ])iace, with whom 
his brother Asahel remained, but in the latter part of his 
life, he moved to the center of the town, to the place now 
owned by Horace Matthews. 

Enos settled on the farm where his son Luke now re- 
sides. His children were Nancy, who married and remov- 
ed to the west; Lovisa, wife of David Montague of West- 
hampton; Helena, wife of D wight Lyman; Luke; Samuel, 
who lives in Westhampton. 

Capt. Noah Jan^s lived on the place afterwards owned 
by Asa Ferry. He took great interest in the affairs of 
the town, in which he was often engaged. After his fami- 
ly were grown up, he removed to Vermont. His children 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 179 

were Noah, Chester, Sylvanus, Lucas, Julius, Lewis, Patty, 
Electa, Naomi. The only descendants of this family who 
at present reside in town are those of the last named 
daughter, who married Sylvester Lyman. 

WILLISTON. 

Rev. Payson Williston was in the fourth generation 
from Joseph Williston, who lived in Westfield in 1691. 
He traded some with the Indians, and, as this trade was 
forbidden to all who were not licensed, his skins and furs 
were seized by Porter Tilton of Hadley, one of the mag- 
istrates. The case was carried to the county court. He 
pleaded ignorance of the law, and the court ordered the 
property to bo restored to him. A few years after this he 
lived at Springfield, where he married Mrs. Mary Ashley, 
who was a daughter of Joseph Parsons, one of the first 
settlers of Northampton. 

The children of Rev. Payson Williston, were Nathan 
Birdseye, who died at the age of four years ; Maria, who 
rnairied Theodore Brackett ; Samuel ; Nathan Birdseye, 
who is engaged in the mercantile business in Brattleboro ; 
Sally, who married Jcsiah D. Whitney of Northampton. 
John Puyson married Clarrissa, daughter of Asahel Ly- 
man, resides in Northampton, and has been distinguished 
as an ardent friend and supporter of the temperance and 
anti-slavery causes. 

The oldest son, Samuel, was born before the place was 
incorporated as a town, and has always resided here. In 
early life he entered upon a course of study preparatory 
for college, at Philips Academy, in Andover, the hope of 
his father being that he might be led to dedicate himself 
to God, and that then he might devote himself to the work 
of the ministry. He was finally compelled by weakness 
of eyes to relinquish his plans of atudy, and the trial thus 



180 HISTORY OP EASTUAMPTON. 

sent upon him God was pleased to use as an instrument in 
bringing him to surrender himself into His hands. Then 
it was his great desire to prepare for the work of the min- 
istry if it should be God's will. It was His design, how- 
ever, that he should serve the cause of Christ in another 
field of labor. There were institutions of learning to be 
established and sustained, from which were to go forth 
many faithful ministers of the Cross, and some one must 
be raised up with the heart and the means for this work. 
Time has revealed that Mr. Williston was an instrument 
chosen of God for this purpose ; and therefore he has la- 
bored more effectively than if he had been suffered to 
pursue his original intention. 

By the frugality and industry which must be exercised 
in a country parsonage, he acquired those habits of life 
which admirably fitted him, under God, to achieve succ:'S3 
in the business in which he engaged. It is needless, in 
this connection, to add to what we have already said of his 
remarkable success, especially in manufacturing. It is to 
the business which he has inaugurated and largely con- 
ducted, that the town owes its present position, as one of 
the largest towns in the county and the most rapidly grow- 
ing. Many other men in various callings, it is true, have 
contributed to this growth and prosperity, bat he must be 
recognized as the leading agent in it. The property which 
Go I has thus given him he has liberally bestowed in be- 
half of the cause of education. 

It was at the darkest hour of the history of Amherst 
college, when the debt was rapidly increasing and there 
were no funds to procure such improvements as a growing 
institvition required for its success, that Mr. Williston 
came to its aid. He endowed two professorships and the 
half of another, thus making a donation of $50,000. 
This relieved the college from its embarrassment, and gave 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 181 

it an increased power in the community. After the burn- 
ing of North college, he erected on its site the building 
which bears his name, and which contains the chemical 
laboratory, together with the alumni and society halls. 

But his largest benefactions have been to Williston Sem- 
inary, on which he has expended, or will soon have done 
so, the sum of $225,000, besides in the aggregate a large 
amount of time and labor. 

In 1840 he served as a Representative, and in the two 
following years as a Senator in the state legislature. 

The Payson church, twice re-built after being twice de- 
stroyed by fire, together with the rebuilding of the adjoin- 
ing parsonage, after the second fire, has cost him the sum 
of $43,000, not including the sum expended in repairing 
the damage done by the blowing over of the steeple. 

*' About the year 1854, he engaged in the almost hope- 
less enterprise of building the Hampshire and Hampden 
railroad, thus extending the Canal railroad, and connecting 
Northampton with New Haven, through his own town. 
This he finally succeeded in accomplishing, after many de- 
lays and amid ceaseless opposition in the Legislature from 
the friends of other roads, having been elected president, 
and having sunk $35,000 for the public good." For a 
number of years he was president of the Holyoke Bank, 
and he has held that position in the First National Bank 
of Easthampton ever since its establishment. 

Undoubtedly these facts are known to many of those 
who will read this sketch, yet it is but fitting that they 
should find a place in the history of the town to whose 
progress he has so largely contributed. 

KNIGHT. 

Roswell and Sylvester Knight, who were the first per- 
sons of that name residing here, removed from Hunting- 



182 HISTORY O!^ 'EilSTHAMPTON. 

ton, in the early part of the present century. The former 
was a clothier by trade. He married Margaret, daughter 
of Jonathan Chipp. Their children were, Albert, Frank- 
lin, xlrtemas, Daniel, Henry, Margaret and Mary, none of 
whom now reside here. 

Sylvester married Rachel, daughter of Capt. David Ly- 
man, for his second wife, and lived where S. M. Lyman 
now does. The children of the second marriage were 
Rachel ; Alice, wife of Isaac K. Clapp ; Lothrop ; Horatio 
G. ; Sarah. 

Sylvester, an older son, resides in Southampton. 

Horatio G. began his career as a manufacturer about the 
time of the transferance of the button works from Hay- 
denville, in 1847. He had before been connected with the 
business of Mr. Williston, as clerk and salesman ; but 
about this time he became a partner in the concern. Since 
then, the button works have been carried on, as has else- 
where been said, by the firm of Williston, Knight & Co., 
until the recent organization of the National Button Co., 
in which the same persons are stockholders. Mr. Knight 
is also largely interested in the Nashawannuck and Glendale 
Companies, and next to Mr. Williston has been most prom- 
inent in the manufacturing operations of the place. 

He has also been very prominent in the public affairs of 
the town, which he has twice represented in the Lower 
House of the Legislature. He also occupied a seat in the 
Senate during two sessions, and was a member of the Re- 
publican National Convention at Chicago, by which Abra- 
ham Lincoln was first placed before the people as a candi- 
date for the Presidency. 

In the early part of the war Mr. Knight was very active, 
procuring volunteers, paying bounties to Easthampton men 
who enlisted in the 27th regiment, and subsequently to 
those who enlisted in the 31st regiment, amounting in the 
aggregate to several thousand dollars. 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 183 

In addition to the two already spoken of, and who are 
natives of the town, Seth Warner and Edmund H. Saw- 
yer may be mentioned as identified with the manufacturing 
interests of the place. Mr. Warner has been a partner in 
the firm of Williston, Knight & Co., since its organiza- 
tion, and is now connected with the Rubber Thread Co., 
as its agent. The principal interest of Mr. Sawyer has 
been with the Nashawannuck Co., to whose eflicient labors 
no small share of its success is due. He is now largely in- 
terested in the Glendale Co. Both these gentlemen have 
contributed much to the prosperity of the place since their 
removal hither. 

PARSONS. 

As it respects the origin of this name, some have supposed 
that it was derived from the word " parson," a clerical ti- 
tle given, from the fact that a clergyman is the principal 
person in a church. Hence in law he is termed ecclesice 
personce^ and, has full possession of all the rights of a par- 
rochial church. The s is added for the sake of euphony, 
or trom the fact that the person to whom it was applied 
was the parson's son. Others 1 ave derived it from the 
word " parish," meaning son of the parish, or one sup- 
ported by the parish. Still others have supposed that the 
name is the same with Peerson, Pierson and Pearson, mod- 
ified in the spelling. These last are derived, according to 
Camden, from "son of Peter" or " Peterson." The fam- 
ily of Parsons was an ancient one in England. Sir Thom- 
as Parsons of Milton Royal in England, about the year 
1634, received the honor of knighthood from King Charles 
I. Cornet Joseph Parsons, who came from England, was 
one of the first settlers of Northampton, and owned a 
large tract of land in Pascommuck His fourth son, Ebe- 
nezer, who was killed by the Indians at Northfield, was 
the first white child born in Northampton. 



184 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

In the fifth generation from Cornet Joseph, was Dea. 
Joel Parsons, who removed to Easthampton. He was 
often employed when a young man, as teacher of the early 
district schools of the town. He was chosen deacon of 
the church in 1 798, to fill the vacancy caused by the death 
of Benjamin Lyman. 

He had five sons, all of whom lived in Easthampton. 
Aaron lived in his father's place, where his son Joseph now 
lives. Ebenezer Ferry lived where the house of E. R. 
Bosworth now stands. His trade was that of a black- 
smith. Senaah married Lois, daughter of Solomon Lyman, 
and lived on the same place with his brother Aaron. He 
had but one child, L. Watson, who lives on a place ad- 
joining that of his father. Joel was a joiner by trade, 
built and lived in the house owned by the late 
Lewis Ferry. He is said to have made the first sleigh 
which was driven in Easthampton. His wife was Rachel 
Janes. Their children wore, Dixelana, married Bela Clark ; 
Rachel married James Phelps ; Climena married Wm. Gil- 
lett, and after his death became the second wife of Bela* 
Clark; Angeline married Rev. Norris Day; Ann Frances 
married Lysander White, and afterwards Edson White ; 
Ralph, Joel, Elisha, Luman, Frederick, Henry, George. 
Of the sons only one, Joel, remained in his native town. 
Ralph lives in Holyoke, and the four last named engaged 
in business elsewhere. 

Thaddeus, son of Dea. Joel, lived in Pascommuck. He 
was for a long time connected with the military company 
of the town, and was for a number of years its captain. 
He was lieutenant of the company sent from South and 
Easthampton, to the defence of Boston, in the year 1812. 
His children were Mercy, who died in youth ; Thaddeus 
K.; and Elisha, who now lives where his father did. 

Edmund Parsons, who is an inhabitant of the east part 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 185 

of the town, is a great-grandson of John Parsons, who 
lived in Northampton, and was in the fourth generation 
from Cornet Joseph. John was uncle to Dea. Joel, who 
has been mentioned. 

Levi Parsons, a native of Goshen, removed to East- 
hampton soon after the establishment of the button works 
of Williston, Knight & Co., and was employed as their 
superintendent. Since that time he has been very inti- 
mately connected with the business and public interests of 
the town, and has been very highly esteemed as a citizen. 
His recent death, which occurred while on a visit to the 
South on account of his health, occasioned a great loss both 
to the community and to the church. 

FERRY. 

Ebenezer Ferry, a grandson of Charles Ferry of Spring- 
field, settled in Pascommuck probably about the year 
1730, on the farm of Moses Hutchinson, who with one 
child, was slain by the Indians in 1704. His son, Lieut. 
Solomon, succeeded him, and died here in the year 1810, 
aged 66. The name of his wife was Hannah French. To 
them were born the following children : — Polly, who mar- 
ried Seth Janes ; Solomon; Asa; Ebenezer, who died at the 
age of twenty-five ; Lovisa and Hannah, who died in 
childhood ; Hannah, who married John Alpress. 

Asa married Eunice Clark, and settled in the western por- 
tion of Pascommuck. Their children were Juliana, who 
married Luther Clark; Sidney, who lived on his father's 
farm ; Lovisa married Ithamar Clark ; Robert and Asa died in 
infancy; Eunice S. married Daniel F. Lyman; Ruth C. mar- 
ried Josiah Gaylord of South Hadley ; Robert S. resides in 
Springfield ; Adaline married E. Hazen of Springfield. 

Solomon lived for many years on his father's farm, which 
was that now owned by Dea. E. Alonzo Clark. His first 
16 



186 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

wife was Parnel €hapin, of West Springfield. They had 
five children. Hiram was a printer by trade, and published 
the " Oracle," and afterwards the "Democrat," at North- 
ampton, where he died in 1860. He was for a number of 
years connected with the Boston Custom House. Nelson 
removed to Corunna, Mich., where he died in 1846. 
Ebenezer remained in his native place, was for many years 
postmaster and storekeeper, and has served the town with 
fidelity in many offices. S. Chapin resides in Chester, O. 
Lewis published papers in Ohio, and also in Northampton ; 
but spent the later portion of his life in his native town, 
where he died in 1865. Two children were born to Solomoa 
by a second wife, Sophia L. Hastings. They were P. 
Sophia, who married William Strong of Northampton; 
and Julia Ann, who married Fred A. Spencer of Westfield. 

WHITE, i^- 

Nathaniel White, who resided in the south part of this 
town was in the sixth generation from Elder John White, 
who" came from England, probably from Chelmsford, in 
1632, and settled in Cambridge, where he was a member 
of the first board of selectmen. About 1636, he went to 
Hartford, from which place, in 1659, he removed to Hadley, 
where he was one of the committee to lay out the town, 
and one of those appointed to manage the affairs of the 
plantation. In 1672, he returned to Hartford, where he 
died in the winter of 1683-4. Nathaniel, before men- 
tioned, was born in South Hadley, Nov. 28, 1749, removed 
to Easthampton, and married Huldah, daughter of Eliakim 
Clark. Their children were Levi, Huldah, Clark, Jemima, 
Nathaniel, Theodosia, wife of John Hannum, and 
Ezekiel. The oldest, Levi, married Miriam Alvord, of 
South Hadley, and settled in Easthampton on his father's 
place. Of their children, Julius moved to Southampton ; 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 187 

Edson and Lysander settled in their native town ; Luceiia 
married Julius Pomeroy ; Amanda married Augustine 
Munson. 

Ezekiel, son of Nathaniel, lived on the form now occu- 
pied by Daniel Rust 2d. He was a painter by trade ; but 
spent a large amount of time in antiquarian researches. 
These he carried, probably, to a greater extent than any 
other man in this section, excepting Sylvester Judd of 
Northampton. In regard to this subject, they both felt, 
what has been expressed by another, that "It is an act 
of duty, and a just tribute of affection to the memory of 
our ancestors, to rescue, if possible, their names from the 
perishing records of time, and not only to incorporate them 
with the annals of the present, but, as objects of affec- 
tionate remembrance, inscribe them in our family memo- 
rials." 

It is fitting that the author of these sketches should here 
acknowledge the aid which he has received in collecting 
many of the facts given in the genealogical record, from the 
papers of Mr. White, to which he had access. 

CHAPMAN. "" 

David Chapman, Sen., was born in the city of Norwich 
Conn, removed to this place in 1772, where he remained 
during the revolutionary war, after which he lived in 
South and Westhampton. He died in 1814. 

In the year 1774, he bought of the town of Northamp- 
ton, •' a piece of common land, the estate of the inhabitants 
of said town, and which was formerly part of the county 
road leading from Northampton to Westfield." From the 
description in the deed of the land purchased, it appears 
that it was that on which the High School building, and 
the First Congregational Church and its parsonage now 
stand. The purchase price was $1.91 an acre, a price 



188 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

which seems small indeed when compared with its present 
Talue. He erected a dwelling where E. R. Bosworth now 
lives. Mr. Chapman himself, four of his sons, and at least 
seven of his grandsons, were blacksmiths. So entirely did 
this seem to be a family occupation, that many persons in 
childhood regarded the name of Chapman and blacksmith 
as synonymous. Two only of the sons, Moses and David, 
settled in Easthampton. One, Willet, was a soldier, and 
died at West Point, in the eighteenth year of his age. 

David Chapman, Jr., born March 23, 1761, married 
Mary,, daughter of Dea. Benjamin Lyman. He built a 
house where the parsonage now stands. He afterwards 
removed to the north side of the Manhan River, near 
Dennis Lyman's present residence, and carried on the 
blacksmith business in a shop which stood on the bank of 
the river. He had seven children : Mary, second wife of 
Obadiah Janes ; Sophia, wife of John Clapp ; Martha, 
David, Charles, George, Moses, who all followed the 
'occupation of their father, though Moses alone remained 
in town. He lived where Dr. Winslow pow does. His 
shop stood near the present location of the Town Hall. 
His sons, Moses and John went West. Another son, 
Almt»n, for many years followed the ancestral employment, 
who, on his retirement, was in turn succeeded by his son, 
Almon S. Thus it will be seen that, as one family of 
Clapps were, through successive generations, the tavern 
keepers and millers of the town, so the Chapman family 
may be said to have been the blacksmiths. 

POMEROY. 

Eltweed Pomeroy, who came from Devonshire, England, 
to this country in 1630, lived at Dorchester and Windsor, 
and died in Northampton in 1673, and was the progenitor 
of a large portion if not of all who bear that name in the 



GENEALOGICAL REGISTER. 189 

United States. He is represented to have been a man of 
good family, tracing his pedigree back to Sir Ralph de 
Fomeroy, a favorite knight of William the Conqueror, 
whom he accompanied into England, acting a conspicuous 
part in the battle of Hastings, fought Oct. 14, 1066, and 
afterwards building a castle, called Berry Pomeroy, still 
in preservation on the grant which he received from the 
crown. 

In the third generation from Eltweed were Samuel and 
Eldad Pomeroy, who settled in Easthampton about 1732, 
the latter near where John M. Clapp lives, and the former 
opposite, on land owned by Dea. E. W. Hannum. Soon 
after, Caleb, a son of Samuel, built a house on the hill 
west of his father's house, near the present residence of A. 
L. Strong. Of his children, Enos lived on his father's 
place, and Solomon where Eldad first established himself. 
Warham, son of Enos, succeeded his father, and had a 
large family of children, only one of whom, Hiram, is at 
present resident in town. 

Of the children of Solomon, only one, who bore his 
father's name, remained in the town. He had but one 
child, Emeline, who married A. L. Strong. 

Dea. Justus Pomeroy, who belonged to another branch 
of the family, was born in 1767, and settled in the west- 
ern part of Easthampton near what was formerly known, 
as " Pogue's Hole." By a recent change of town lines, 
the farm which he owned is now included within the limits 
of Southampton. He had five children :, Spencer, who w is 
mentioned as having performed service in the war of 1812 ; 
Jerusha, who married Joseph Haskins of Northampton ; 
Triphenia, Julius, and Thomas Jefferson. The last three of 
these now reside in Easthampton. 

Luther Pomeroy, who belonged to still another branch 
of the famil}'-, came to this town from Southampton and 
16* 



190 HISTORY OF EASTHAMPTON. 

settled in the west part of the town^ where his son Luther 
now lives. He also was mentioned as one of those who 
performed service in the war of 1812. 

HANNUM. 

William Hannum was one of the first proprietors of 
Northampton in 1653, and died therein 1677. In the 
fifth generation from him, were three brothers, early in- 
habitants of the town. 

Sergt. Eleazer and John settled in the town, as early 
as 1760. Each of them had a son bearing their names, 
who succeeded to their property, and who were the fathers 
of the present owners of the estates. Eleazer W., who was 
chosen deacon of the church in 1833, and still holds the 
office, is the grandson of the former and owns his place ; and 
John M. and Edwin are grandsons of the latter, and own 
his place. The second John Hannum bore the office of 
selectman for twenty years, a longer period than it has 
been held by any other man. 

Joel, another of the brothers mentioned, settled in 
Nashawannuck, His sons, Paul and Julius, shared the 
ownership of his farm after his death, and each had large 
families. They, however, removed to the west many 
years since, and the only members of these families at 
present residing here are Arlow and Lucas W., sons of the 
former. Esther, daughter of Joel, married Simeon Clark;. 
Phebe, married Oliver Clark ; Jerusha, married Elijah. 
Gloyd; Diana, married and now lives in Washington. 

PHELPS. 

" Ould Mr. Wm. Phelps, Esq. came from England to 
this country in 163^0 ; was representative from Dorchester 
tQ the first court in 1634; removed to Windsor, Ct. in 
1655 ;. and was a member of the first court in that colo- 



QENEALOQICAL REGISTER. 191 

ny in 163G. He was a member of the General Court 
twelve sessions ; and one of the most efficient and valua- 
ble officers in the colony." In the sixth generation from 
him, was William Phelps, who lived in the north part of 
this town, in a house which stood a short distance west 
of the road leading to Northampton. His son, Elijah, 
succeeded him, of whose children only Samuel remains 
here. Capt. John Phelps, father of James and Frederick, 
who live in the same district, removed thither from 
Northampton. 

LUDDEN-. 

Lieut. Ezra Ludden removed from Braintree to Wil- 
liamsburg in 1773, and thence to this place in 1779. He 
was a great reader, and took a great interest in the Libra- 
ry association, of which he was an active member. He 
died here in November, 1833, aged 86. 

Of his sons, only one, John, remained in town. He 
was very prominent in public affairs ; was the second per- 
son appointed Justice of the Peace ; was selectman during 
a period of 18 years; and several times represented the 
town in the Legislature. 

WOOD. 

Ezekiel Wood was the first person bearing the name 
of Wood who lived in Easthampton. He was connected 
with the army in the war of the Revolution as Surgeon, 
and died at West Point while in the service. He had 
seven children, viz. : Daniel, David, Seth, Ezekiel, Ste- 
phen, Polly, Tamasind. 

Daniel and David were also soldiers in the Revolution- 
ary war. David afterwards settled in Southampton. 
Daniel moved to Palmyra, N. Y., where he died in the 
98th year of his age. The following notice of him was 
published at the time of his death : — " He entered the 



192 HISTORY OP EASTHAMPTON. 

service in early life, and was one of those hardy veterans 
who penetrated the wilderness to Quebec with Col. Arnold 
in April, 1775. He remained before Quebec through the 
following winter. He was also one of the soldiers at 
Saratoga, and served through the war." 

Tamasind was the wife of Thaddeus Clark. Ezekiel 
was shot accidentally by one of his neighbors while they 
were hunting deer. Seth lived for a time in Easthampton, 
and was the father of E. T. Wood, who now resides in 
Northampton. Stephen married Jemima, daughter of 
Obadiah Clark, by whom he had four children. Gains, 
Stephen, Jemima, and Mary. He afterwards married 
Sally Braman. Their children were Ezekiel, Enoch E., 
Newton, S. Chapin, and Sarah. These last mentioned all 
live in this town, excepting Ezekiel, who died here recently. 

HENDRICK. 

Israel Hendrick was the first settler in the south-east 
part of the town, whither he removed about the year 
1774, and built a log house on the east side of Broad 
Brook. He had three sons, viz. : Reuben, who removed 
to Conway, had several children, and died about the year 
1800, at the age of 55 years. Moses, who settled in 
Hoosick, N. Y., acquired considerable property and died 
in 1845, at the advanced age of 100 years. James, the 
youngest son, removed to the opposite side of the brook 
from where his father lived, and built the house now occu- 
pied by Pearson Hendrick. He had eleven children, eight 
sons and three daughters. Jesse, the oldest, died at the 
age of twenty-four ; Pearson died in early childhood ; 
Huldah, James, Lovy, Reuben, Joseph, Stephen, Pearson, 
Jabez, and Rachel. Five of the above brothers settled 
in this neighborhood, and four of them are still alive and 
reside within half a mile of each other. The youngest 
son, Jabez settled elsewhere. 



APPENDIX. 



A few ty]oographical errors and omissions escaped notice in the 
correction of the proof, which should be inserted here. If others 
still exist, we crave the reader's indulgence. 

On page 9 instead of John Scott read George Frary. 

On page 147 read Alender instead of Aleander. 

On page 14« instead of 1830 read 1835. 

In our notice of the Internal Revenue, we should have mentioned 
the fact that George S. Clark was the immediate successor of Levi 
Parsons as Assistant Assessor, which office he held a few months when 
he was succeeded by Lafayette Clapp. 



COLLEGE GRADUATES. 

The following list of the natives of the town who have received 
college honors, will be interesting as a matter of reference : — 

Azariah Clark, Class of 1805, Williams College. 

JobCIlark, " " 1811, " " 
Elam C. Clark, 

Theodore Clapp, " 

Solomon Lyman, " 

Sumner G. Clapp, '• 

Luther Wright, '* 

Sylvester Clapp, " 

Silas C. Brown, " 

Theodore L. Wright, " 

Samuel Matthews, " 

Francis Janes, " 

Thornton W. Clapp, " 

Edmund Wright, ♦' 

Josiah Lyman, " 

Alender O. Clapp, " 



1812, 


" 


1814, 


Yale 


1822, 


(( 


1822, 


(( 


1822, 


(( 


1823, 


Union 


1828, 


4( 


1829, 


Yale 


1829, 


Amherst 


1830, 


Williams 


1835, 


<( 


1836, 


(( 


1836, 


(( 


1837, 


Amherst 



APPENDIX. 



Addison Lyman, 


Class of 1839, 


Williams College 


Jabez B. Lyman, 


<< 


n 


1841, 


Amherst 


{« 


Russell M. Wright, 


t( 


II 


1841, 


Williams 


(( 


Horace Lyman, 


<( 


(< 


1842, 


(( 


(C 


Elijah H. Wright, 


u 


(1 


1842, 


Amherst 


«( 


William S. Clark, 


(( 


(( 


1848, 


ti 


« 


Lyman R. Williston, 


a 


(1 


1850, 


a 


<( 


Edson L. Clark, 


ti 


<i 


1853, 


Yale 


(( 


Francis H. Hannum, 


ti 


(< 


1865, 


Amherst 


It 


James T. Graves, 


(( 


(( 


1866, 


Yale 


ti 


Payson W. Lyman, 


(( 


(( 


1867, 


Amherst 


(C 



Nearly all of these have been noticed particularly in the Genealog- 
ical Record. Of those not thus alluded to, Sylvester Clapp studied 
Theology and was ordained and settled in Maine. 

Silas C. Brown studied Theology, and was ordained and settled in 
the ministry in the state of New York. 

Samuel Matthews became President of Hampden Sidney College. 
He died in 1853, at the age of 51. 

William S. Clark, after his graduation at Amherst, was employed 
as teacher in Williston Seminary, then studied in a German Universi- 
ty, and has since held the Professorship of Chemistry in Amherst 
College. 

Lyman R. Williston taught in Williston Seminary for a time after 
his graduation, then studied theology in Andover, after which he went 
to Germany, and studied in Berlin. On his return he was employed 
as Principal of the Cambridge High School. He is now teaching a 
private school in Cambridge. 

It will be seen by reference to this list that the number of men 
from the town obtaining a collegiate education has decreased within 
the last twenty years, about as fast as the town has increased in 
population, a fact which it would seem ought not so to be, 



LREAg'7' 



